Nets build big lead and barely hang on down the stretch for 113-110 victory over Bucks

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Cam Johnson scored 26 points, Cam Thomas had 24 and the Brooklyn Nets withstood a frantic Milwaukee comeback attempt down the stretch to beat the Bucks 113-110 on Thursday.

Brooklyn led by as many as 24 and still owned a 111-90 advantage with less than seven minutes left before the Bucks scored 20 straight points. The Bucks had the ball with a chance to take the lead, but Giannis Antetokounmpo couldn’t finish on his drive to the basket.

Brooklyn’s Ziaire Williams got the rebound and hit two free throws with 6.1 seconds left.

Damian Lillard missed two potential tying 3-point attempts in the last 4.1 seconds.

Antetokounmpo had 27 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists while shooting 12 of 24 from the floor.

Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr. was ejected from the game with 9.9 seconds left in the first half for making unnecessary and excessive contact with Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton.

Nets: Brooklyn went 3-1 against the Bucks this season, including two wins at Milwaukee over the last eight days. The last time the Nets beat the Bucks as many as three times within the same regular season is 2013-14.

Bucks: Antetokounmpo has scored at least 20 points while shooting at least 50% from the floor in each of his 26 games this season, the longest such streak in NBA history. Shaquille O’Neal (January-March 2001) and Zion Williamson (February-April 2021) were the only players to score at least 20 points and make at least half their shot attempts in 25 straight games.

D'Angelo Russell, who had 11 points and 12 assists, was carried to the locker room in the final minute with what Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said was cramps. Johnson tweaked his ankle in the final seconds.

The Nets' last basket came with 6:55 left, but they still found a way to win.

Both teams play at home Saturday, with the Nets facing the Philadelphia 76ers and the Bucks meeting the Portland Trail Blazers.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo fouls Brooklyn Nets' Maxwell Lewis during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Brooklyn Nets' Nic Claxton dunks past Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Bucks' Ryan Rollins and Brooklyn Nets' Nic Claxton go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo pauses before an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Brooklyn Nets' Cam Thomas tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Gary Trent Jr. during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Brooklyn Nets' Jalen Wilson tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Brooklyn Nets' Cam Thomas shoots past Milwaukee Bucks' Brook Lopez during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Brooklyn Nets' D'Angelo Russell tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 33 points, 20 in the first quarter, and the Phoenix Suns pulled away in the second half for a 129-102 victory over the struggling Sacramento Kings on Friday night.

Dillon Brooks scored 18 points and Mark Williams had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who have won five of their last six. They bounced back from Wednesday’s loss at Cleveland. Booker, Brooks and Williams all sat the entire fourth quarter.

Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro each had 15 points for Phoenix. Reserve Jamaree Bouyea scored 12 for the Suns, who led by 28 points late in the game.

Booker finished 13 of 21 from the field — just 1 for 6 from 3-point range — and 6 of 7 from the free throw line in 28 minutes. He was 8 of 12 in the first quarter in scoring 20 of the Suns’ 32 points. It was Booker's highest-scoring quarter since April 2024, when he also scored 20.

The Suns led 62-56 at the half but opened it up in the third quarter, leading by as many as 18 before ending the period with a 97-83 lead.

Keegan Murray led the Kings with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Sacramento lost its fourth in a row, and sixth straight on the road to fall to 8-27.

Russell Westbrook had 17 points and six assists for the Kings, and Keon Ellis finished with 14 points.

Kings: Host Milwaukee on Sunday.

Suns: Host Oklahoma City on Sunday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Sacramento Kings guard Demar Derozan (10) fouls Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) goes up to shoot over Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks shoots over Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)