Giannis-less Bucks fall to Steph Curry and Golden State

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 36 points with 22 of those in the fourth quarter and overtime, shining in his first home game back from a long injury absence and leading the Golden State Warriors past the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks 125-116 on Saturday night.

Curry hit a tying 3-pointer with 19 seconds left in regulation, then blocked a layup attempt by Jrue Holiday in the closing moments. The Warriors got the ball back with 1.9 seconds remaining and Curry inbounded to Draymond Green, who missed from deep.

Holiday had put Milwaukee up on a 3 with 32.7 seconds to play and wound up with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. But the Bucks (48-19), playing without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, had their three-game winning streak snapped with just their second defeat in 21 games since Jan. 21.

Curry’s 3 with 1:08 remaining in regulation got Golden State within 108-106. A steal by Klay Thompson on the other end moments later led to a tying layup by Curry before Holiday delivered.

Thompson added 22 points, Donte DiVincenzo had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Warriors won at home for the seventh in a row and 11th in 12.

Khris Middleton had 19 points and five assists, Bobby Portis contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds and Brook Lopez 19 points and seven boards.

Bucks leading scorer and rebounder Antetokounmpo missed his second straight game with right hand soreness and third overall after sitting out March 7 with a non-COVID illness.

Golden State used a 16-4 burst out of halftime to go ahead 66-53 but the Bucks fought back to get within 80-77 heading into the fourth.

Green went down hard and limped to the locker room midway through the third quarter before returning with 38.7 seconds left. While cutting through the key, Green’s left foot got tangled with Holiday’s right leg and Green tripped.

Green finished with five points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.

Curry returned March 5 at the Lakers from a left leg injury suffered Feb. 4 that sidelined him for 11 games. He played on the team’s three-game road trip.

The reigning NBA Finals MVP came back injured against Dallas on Feb. 4 in a collision while defending McKinley Wright IV as he drove to the basket. Wright’s knee hit Curry’s shin.

JaMychal Green scored 11 of his 18 points in the first quarter for Golden State making three 3-pointers.