Deni Avdija scored a career-best 30 points and collected nine rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers spoiled Damian Lillard’s return to town for the second straight season with a solid 125-112 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.
Anfernee Simons registered 25 points and seven assists and Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 14 rebounds as the Trail Blazers won for the fifth time in the past six games. Portland also completed a two-game season sweep of Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 39 points on 17-of-24 shooting and also had 12 rebounds and five assists for Milwaukee, which lost for just the third time in the past 12 games.
Lillard scored 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting and added six assists after receiving a loud ovation before the game. He played 11 seasons for the Trail Blazers before requesting a trade prior to the 2023-24 season.
Portland beat Milwaukee 119-116 last season in Lillard’s first return engagement in Portland.
Shaedon Sharpe added 17 points for the Trail Blazers.
Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton (ankle) sat out on the second end of a back-to-back.
Portland’s Jerami Grant (ankle) exited early in the third quarter.
Portland led by seven early in the fourth quarter before exploding with 12 straight points. Simons hit 3-pointers to begin and end the spurt as the Trail Blazers took a 111-92 lead with 8:46 left in the contest.
The Bucks trailed 120-105 with 3:23 remaining when coach Doc Rivers waved the white flag and pulled Lillard and Antetokounmpo.
The Trail Blazers shot 51.1 percent from the field and were 12 of 28 from 3-point range. Scoot Henderson added 10 points and six assists.
Milwaukee made 50.6 percent of its shots, including 11 of 35 from behind the arc. Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. scored 11 points apiece for the Bucks.
Milwaukee crept within 90-87 on a 3-pointer by Trent with 37.2 seconds left in the third quarter.
However, Simons drained a 3-pointer and Avdija made two baskets in the final 10 seconds as Portland took a 97-89 lead into the final stanza.
Ayton scored 16 first-half points as Portland led 64-61 at the break. Antetokounmpo had 21 points in the half for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo had 16 points on 8-of-8 shooting in the first quarter as Milwaukee led 36-31.
The Bucks led 47-35 after a 3-pointer by Trent with 9:19 left in the second quarter. Portland later scored 20 of the final 28 points of the half to take the lead.
–Field Level Media
