Bucks turnovers lead to loss to Wizards

WASHINGTON (AP) — Paul Pierce was tossed before halftime in his first home game with the Washington Wizards, and Otto Porter picked up the slack with a career-high 21 points Saturday night in a 108-97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Starting the third quarter in place of Pierce, second-year forward Porter — essentially a nonfactor as a No. 3 overall draft pick as a rookie — scored 19 points in the second half and finished 7 for 11 from the field and 6 for 7 from the free-throw line. His previous career high was 13 points in this season's opener, and he never reached double digits last season. Fans started chanting his name in the fourth quarter.

Nene went 10 for 12 and finished with 22 points, and Marcin Gortat had 20 points, nine rebounds and three blocks as Washington's frontcourt size overwhelmed the speed of the youthful Bucks.

But it was the 37-year-old Pierce — signed to provide veteran leadership — who displayed the rashness of immaturity when he complained his way into back-to-back technical fouls while disputing a clear-path call with 7 seconds remaining in the first half.

Pierce took his protest even further, taking a seat on the Wizards bench instead of heading for the locker room. One of the game officials, Jason Phillips, gestured for Pierce to leave, but Pierce stayed in his seat. Only after Washington coach Randy Wittman also gestured did Pierce get up and walk toward the tunnel, escorted by a team security official.

There was more rancor at the end of the third quarter. After Wall committed a foul with five-tenths of a seconds remaining, he and O.J. Mayo were among a scrum of players exchanging unpleasantries, and were both assessed technicals. After the period ended, Bucks coach Jason Kidd was whistled for a tech.

Brandon Knight scored 24 points and Jerryd Bayless had 20 to lead the Bucks, who never led and committed 28 turnovers. Milwaukee had turnovers from 10 players in the first half alone. The Pierce clear-path foul and technicals were converted into three points — all free throws by Knight — that cut the deficit to five at halftime, but Kidd's team failed to sustain the momentum and gave up 33 points in the third quarter.

John Wall finished with 19 points, 10 assists and six rebounds for the Wizards. Garrett Temple, starting while Bradley Beal recovers from broken wrist, added a career-high 18 points.