Antetokounmpo, Lillard Guide Bucks in Dominant Victory Over Mavericks
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard combine for 59 points to lead Bucks over Mavericks 132-117 in a foul-heavy matchup at American Airlines Center.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks (32-29) faced a tough challenge Saturday night at the American Airlines Center, falling 132-117 to the Milwaukee Bucks (34-25). Kyrie Irving did his best to lead the Mavs, but his 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists weren’t enough for his outmatched squad.
Milwaukee leveraged the potent duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, who combined for 59 points. Antetokounmpo tallied 29 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while Lillard added 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Milwaukee received another 20 points off the bench from Gary Trent Jr. Other double-figure scorers include Brook Lopez (13 points), Kevin Porter Jr. (11 points), and Kyle Kuzma (10 points), proving to overwhelm Dallas.
Defensively, the Mavericks had no answers, giving up the most points they’ve allowed since the Cleveland Cavaliers scored 144 against them on Feb. 2.
“They have a good team,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said. “If you’re going to go zone, you can’t give them a catch and shoot. They’re one of the best teams in the league at catch-and-shoot. They found the corners, and we fouled shooters.
“When Giannis is a playmaker, he causes a problem because he can score and he can pass,” Kidd explained. “And he did those two things at a very high level. It puts a lot of pressure on your defense to be tied together. You got to give second and third efforts and we just didn’t do that on a consistent basis. Giannis controlled the paint and he knocked down all his free throws.”
The Mavericks initially held a 10-point lead during the second quarter. However, their fortunes shifted dramatically as Milwaukee launched a 36-12 run entering halftime, which propelled the Bucks to a commanding lead and eventual victory. By outscoring Dallas 70-43 across the second and third quarters, Milwaukee led by as many as 23 points at one point. The Mavericks had no outlook to recover.
The Bucks' ability to draw fouls was a significant factor, with Milwaukee attempting 35 free throws to the Mavericks' 25.
“We got them to the free-throw line early,” Kidd said. “Rebounding, and you can add shooting. We didn’t shoot the ball well. And then we got the fouling and the rebounding. That can hurt you.”
The Mavericks struggled from the three-point line, making just 11 of 40 attempts (27.5%). Their rebounding was also lacking, as Milwaukee outrebounded them 52-33.
“We got to string together a lot of wins, especially until we get whole again,” Thompson said. “I know we’re capable. We just got to stay present and win as many home games as possible.”
Injuries compounded the Mavericks' challenges, with key players like Anthony Davis (left adductor strain), Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture), and Daniel Gafford (right knee sprain) sidelined. This opened the door for 10-day signee Moses Brown, who contributed 18 points and 9 rebounds. Dallas is hard-capped at the First Apron, so signing Brown to a standard contract isn’t possible until four days remain in the regular season. He’s drawing interest from elsewhere, so it was reported during the game that Kai Jones will sign a two-way deal.
“He had 10 days to show what he could do, and he’s done that for us,” Kidd said of Brown. “He helped us win a game. Now, for him to go to the next team, I hope he has the same success. Hopefully not when we’re playing against him.”
At the 9:17 mark of the third quarter, the Mavericks trailed 81-65 and lost P.J. Washington for the rest of the night due to an aggravation of his right ankle injury. He was upgraded from questionable to active with a right ankle sprain but left the game early due to right ankle soreness. With Dallas trying to ration active days for Kessler Edwards on his two-way contract, it seems Washington was rushed back.
Without Washington, Dallas needed a lot more production on the wing from other players. Max Christie struggled offensively, limited to taking more shots (6) than points (5) across 27 minutes. Klay Thompson was limited to 29 minutes, with Kidd opting for personnel he trusts more defensively. Thompson scored 16 points but shot just 5 of 14 from the floor despite going 4 of 9 from beyond the arc.
“ We're trying to get stops. It's something you got to figure out how to stop the leak, and they're scoring and we're having trouble stopping them,” Kidd said of Thompson. “We brought him, and P.J. was done for the night. Our defense, guarding the three-point line, we just did not do a good job tonight, and we have to be better.”
The Mavericks hope Caleb Martin will return to the lineup soon. He was traded to Dallas from the Philadelphia 76ers, along with a 2030 second-round pick, in exchange for Quentin Grimes and Philly’s 2025 second-round selection. Kidd mentioned that Martin would do contact work on Tuesday again, with the hope that an update would be made available the following day to provide more clarity.
“There’s a lot of positive things around him right now,” Kidd said of Martin. “He’s trending in the right direction. Hopefully, here in the next couple days, we’ll have some really good news.”
With the Mavericks hosting the Sacramento Kings on Monday, they face a pivotal matchup with implications for their seeding in the Western Conference. Both teams are at the bottom of the play-in seeding,
“We’re obviously aware of where we are in the season, so no time to complain or whine,” Irving said. “Just make sure we’re preparing the right way. And when we’re out there, just sticking together (is important). Some games are going to look good, some games are not going to look as good.”
Support DallasHoopsJournal.com
As an independent Dallas Mavericks reporter, it helps when you sign up for a premium membership to read our most in-depth content. The cost is $10 per month or $100 annually.