Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a record-breaking performance for the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring an unprecedented 64 points in their 140-126 triumph over the Indiana Pacers. This feat surpassed the previous team record of 57 points set by Michael Redd in 2006.
“He’s an unstoppable player. You can’t guard him one-on-one. You’ve got some really good guys surrounding him, but at the end of the day, it’s all him,” Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said. “His talent. His ability. His will. He has an incredible will to win, and he’ll do whatever it takes to win. I’m just coaching the game and one of the coaches told me, ‘Yeah, Giannis has 50. I had no idea.’ But wow, what a great performance.”
Antetokounmpo’s monumental effort, eclipsing his personal best of 55 points set in January 2023, was characterized by remarkable efficiency. He shot 20 of 28 from the field, made 24 of 32 free throws, and grabbed 14 rebounds. His achievement marked the first time in NBA history a player made at least 20 field goals and 20 free throws in a game while maintaining a shooting accuracy of 70% or more. It also set a record for the most points scored with fewer than 30 field goal attempts in a game.
NBA NEWS & SCOERS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers Updates
Antetokounmpo expressed his joy and pride in achieving this feat, emphasizing his commitment to playing basketball for the right reasons – winning, helping teammates, and making fans proud.
“It’s a great feeling. It’s a great feeling, being able to do it,” Antetokounmpo said. “As much as I can, I try to play basketball for the right reason. I try to play basketball to win, try to play basketball to help my teammates be great, but at the end of the day, being able to break this record in front of the fans here in this stadium, it’s a great feeling, too.”
However, the game’s aftermath was overshadowed by an altercation near the Indiana locker room concerning the possession of the game ball. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle described the incident as a misunderstanding, stating the ball was initially taken for Oscar Tshiebwe’s first official NBA point, without considering Antetokounmpo’s record-setting performance.
“What happened after the game was unfortunate,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “There was a misunderstanding about the game ball. It was Oscar Tshiebwe’s first official NBA point, so we always get the game ball. We were not thinking about Giannis’ franchise record, so we grabbed the ball.
“A couple of minutes later, several of their players ended up in our hallway, and there was a big, I don’t know what to call it — a fracas, melee, whatever. I don’t think any punches were landed, but my general manager got elbowed in the ribs by one of their players.”
NBA NEWS & SCOERS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers Updates
The game also witnessed a heated moment when Aaron Nesmith tackled Antetokounmpo, leading to a flagrant-1 foul and technical fouls for Nesmith and the Bucks’ Bobby Portis. Portis was later ejected while Antetokounmpo continued his scoring spree.
Damian Lillard contributed 21 points for the Bucks, notably surpassing Kyle Korver for the fifth place in NBA history for 3-pointers.
For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner each scored 22 points. This game followed the Pacers’ victory over the Bucks in the semifinals of the In-Season Tournament. Antetokounmpo’s stellar performance and the Bucks’ dominance were evident as they led 70-63 at halftime and maintained control throughout the game.
NBA NEWS & SCOERS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers Updates
Looking ahead, the Pacers are set to play the Washington Wizards on Friday night, while the Bucks will host the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
