MILWAUKEE — Khris Middleton scored nine of his 26 points in the final 7:31 and Jabari Parker added 21 points in the Milwaukee Bucks‘ 105-94 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.
Milwaukee’s bench outscored Phoenix’s reserves 32-9 in snapping a five-game losing streak. Phoenix has lost four straight and five of six.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 10 points and six assists in the Bucks’ first game since coach Jason Kidd announced on Tuesday that the 6-foot-11 forward would play point guard in the 2016-17 season.
PJ Tucker had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix. Devin Booker scored 18 points, Alex Len had 17 points and 15 rebounds, and Brandon Knight added 17 points in his first trip to Milwaukee since being traded by the Bucks to the Suns in February 2015.
Middleton scored 17 points in the first half while making all seven of his shots, but missed his first four shots of the second half. He finished 10 of 16 from the field, and his 3-pointer with 1:05 left gave the Bucks a 101-94 lead.
The Bucks took the lead for good at 82-80 on a rebound basket by John Henson with 9:41 to go. It keyed a 12-4 Milwaukee run, capped by Middleton’s 16-foot jumper to make it 92-84 with 4:46 left.
The Suns committed 24 turnovers, their fourth consecutive game giving up at least 20 turnovers, and it led to 27 Milwaukee points. The Bucks had a big advantage at the free throw line, making 25 of 34 while the Suns made 13 of 17.
Phoenix committed three turnovers in the first 75 seconds of the second half and Milwaukee scored the first six points to open a 57-47 lead on Parker’s 16-foot jumper with 10:38 left. The Suns closed the quarter on an 8-2 run, capped by a reverse layup by John Jenkins at the buzzer to cut the Bucks’ lead to 80-75.
TIP-INS
Suns: Mirza Teletovic missed the game with a stomach illness. Jon Leuer, Knight and Ronnie Price also have been ill within the past week.
Bucks: Greivis Vasquez returned after missing 56 games with an ankle injury sustained on Nov. 27 that led to surgery on Dec. 15. He had a rebound and two assists in his first 65 seconds and finished with no points, three rebounds and three assists in 12 minutes. … Jerryd Bayless suffered a mild hyperextension of his right knee in the first half and did not return.
UP NEXT
Suns: Host Washington on Friday night.
Bucks: Host Orlando on Friday night
