By ASSOCIATED PRESS
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 34 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points and 16 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks snapped a six-game skid, beating the Utah Jazz, 123-100, on Thursday night, Nov. 7.
Antetokounmpo was back in action after missing a 116-114 loss at Cleveland on Monday night because of a right adductor strain.
The Bucks hadn’t lost six straight games since March 2015. They avoided their first seven-game skid since March 2014, when they dropped eight in a row.
Jordan Clarkson had 18 off the bench to lead the Jazz.
Utah led 71-70 before the Bucks took command with a 17-1 run late in the third quarter. Lillard and Antetokounmpo combined to score Milwaukee’s first 15 points in that spurt.
Meanwhile in Chicago, Anthony Edwards had 33 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Bulls, 135-119.
Minnesota rallied from a 13-point deficit. Julius Randle had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, and Rudy Gobert finished with 21 points and nine boards.
It was Chicago’s fourth consecutive loss. Nikola Vucevic scored 25 points for the Bulls on 11-for-15 shooting. Coby White had 24 points and eight assists.
Chicago led 95-90 after three quarters, but Minnesota controlled the action in the fourth. Randle’s driving layup lifted the Timberwolves to a 107-106 lead with 6:47 left.
Mike Conley had 14 points and 11 assists for the Timberwolves.
In San Antonio, Keldon Johnson and Malaki Branham had 17 points each and the San Antonio Spurs beat Portland, 118-105, in their fourth game without coach Gregg Popovich.
Popovich has been out since having a medical episode Saturday before a home game against Minnesota. Prior to the game Thursday, Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson said the team is unsure when Popovich will return.
Zach Collins and Julian Champagnie added 14 points each to help the Spurs snap a two-game skid. Victor Wembanyama had 12 points. Branham exited two minutes into the fourth quarter after rolling his right ankle.
Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Portland. Jerami Grant also had 21 points, and Anfernee Simons added 19.
