Bucks win with Giannis out

WASHINGTON – Damian Lillard delivered with teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo out due to a hamstring injury, scoring 31 points and distributing 16 assists in Milwaukee’s 140-129 NBA triumph over Phoenix on Sunday.

Reserve Bobby Portis added 31 points and 10 rebounds for the host Bucks, who improved to 44-24 and tightened their grip on second in the Eastern Conference.

Lillard, the first player in Bucks history with 30 points and 15 assists in the same game, praised Portis and others for stepping up with Greek superstar Antetokounmpo sidelined.

“It was huge,” Lillard said. “One of our biggest strengths is our depth. Bobby Portis is a starter on any other team but for our team he knows what his job is.

“Down a guy like Giannis, you know everybody is going to have to step their game up. We’ve been in this situation a couple of times this year and every time he has come through and delivered.

Kyrie Irving sank a left-handed 20-foot floater shot at the final buzzer to give Dallas a 107-105 home victory over Denver, snapping the Nuggets’ five-game win streak.

Denver’s Jamal Murray scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, hitting a 3-pointer to cap a 20-4 Nuggets run for a 105-102 lead.

NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic, the Slovenian guard who had 23 of his game-high 37 points in the first half, answered on a three-pointer and a Murray miss set up Irving’s winner.