Giannis, Bucks beat cold-shooting Nets 113-94

NEW YORK — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the cold-shooting Brooklyn Nets 113-94 on Monday night.

The injury-depleted Nets missed 19 of their first 20 3-point attempts, making it another easy night for the team with the NBA's best record. Brooklyn finished 5 for 42 (11.9 percent) behind the arc.

Malcolm Brogdon added 16 points and Eric Bledsoe had 15 for the Bucks, who won their fourth straight, all by double digits.

D'Angelo Russell scored 18 points for the Nets, who have been forced to go deep down their roster because of injuries and lost their third in a row.

Brooklyn shot 32 percent overall while playing without Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, Jared Dudley and Allen Crabbe, all either starters or key reserves.

That left them no match for the Bucks, especially with Shabazz Napier going 0 for 10 behind the arc and DeMarre Carroll missing his first eight overall before finishing 2 for 11.

Despite all that, the Nets trailed by only nine at halftime. It was nearly 11, but Antetokounmpo's basket was ruled too late after he picked up an inbounds pass with three seconds left near one foul line and got all the way to the other basket to attempt a layup.

But the Bucks broke out for 36 points in the third quarter, extending their lead to 87-64.

Tip-ins

Bucks: Bledsoe missed Saturday's game at Washington with a sore Achilles tendon. ... Antetokounmpo was the Eastern Conference player of the week last week for the second consecutive week. He has won the award six times this season.

Nets: Coach Kenny Atkinson said LeVert (dislocated right foot) and Crabbe (sore right knee) would practice with the Nets' G League affiliate on Tuesday. Atkinson said he wasn't sure yet if they would be able to get into games before the All-Star break. ... The Nets signed F Mitch Creek to a second 10-day contract.

Backcourt boost

Besides LeVert and Crabbe, the Nets are also without Dinwiddie (right thumb surgery) and Harris (sore right hip). So Atkinson said the nearing returns of some regulars is "good timing."

"Listen, it doesn't have to be 40 minutes, right?" Atkinson said. "I think that would be kind of the best scenario, just kind of integrating those guys slowly into the lineup. That's going to be a big boost for us. I think right now, like I said, it's good timing."

In the crowd

Former President Bill Clinton and Brooks Koepka, last year's U.S. Open and PGA Championship winner, were in the crowd.

Up next

Bucks: Host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.

Nets: Host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.