Giannis Antetokounmpo scored an NBA season-high 59 points against Detroit on Nov. 13 and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Pistons 127-120 in overtime.
Antetokounmpo led the Bucks’ comeback from an 18-point deficit with 14 rebounds, seven assists, three blocked shots, and two steals. Antetokounmpo came five points shy of his career-high of 64 points and now holds the highest, second- highest and fourth-highest scoring games in Bucks history. The only other Buck in the top four is former All-Star Michael Redd, who scored 57 against the Utah Jazz in 2006.
Antetokounmpo needed because of teammates’ injuries
The Bucks’ big man needed to come through, especially with All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, Sixth Man of the Year candidate Bobby Portis, former three-time All-Star Khris Middleton, new starting shooting guard Andre Jackson Jr., and even role player Ryan Rollins all out with various injuries.
“He just kept us in the game single-handedly with his play,” head coach Doc Rivers said of Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo saved his best performance for the most important segment of the game. The score was tied at 111 late in the fourth quarter and Ron Holland of the Pistons had a chance to secure the victory at the free throw line. But Holland missed both free throws, forcing overtime. Antetokounmpo wasn’t leaving anything else up to chance. He scored 11 of his 59 in the five-minute overtime period, securing the lead and the game once and for all.
After the win, Antetokounmpo now sits with the most points this season. Paolo Banchero, who scored 50 points for the Orlando Magic in a victory over the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 28, was tied with San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama for the season’s top spot — for a few hours at least.
In the regular season, Antetokounmpo has now scored 55 points in a game three times, every other player in Bucks’ history has all combined for three in total. The two-time MVP also recorded his ninth career game with at least 50 points and 10 rebounds in the same game, third in NBA history after Wilt Chamberlain (118 games) and Elgin Baylor (16).
