Damian Lillard, a night after sitting out a game, poured in 26 points and the Milwaukee Bucks gave Doc Rivers his first home victory since becoming head coach by defeating the Charlotte Hornets 120-84 on Friday night.
Malik Beasley had 21 points, Bobby Portis came off the bench for 18 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 15 points and 14 rebounds in 24 minutes for a Milwaukee team that needed a breakthrough performance even if it came against the struggling Hornets. Brook Lopez posted 11 points.
The Bucks, who entered with a season-worst three-game losing streak, made 18 3-pointers, though more than half (52) of their 94 field-goal attempts were from beyond the arc.
The Hornets shot 34.2 percent from the floor as they lost their 10th game in a row, a day after they traded P.J. Washington to the Dallas Mavericks for forward Grant Williams and guard Seth Curry, neither of whom played Friday. Charlotte also waived guards Ish Smith, James Bouknight and Frank Ntilikina.
Brandon Miller and Nick Richards each had 16 points and reserves Bryce McGowens and Nick Smith Jr. added 15 and 13 points, respectively. Miles Bridges shot 2-for-16 from the floor for 11 points after scoring more than 40 points in each of his previous two games.
Charlotte shot 7-for-29 on 3-pointers. Richards had 11 rebounds.
Since Rivers took over after the firing of Adrian Griffin, the Bucks went 1-4 on a five-game road stretch and then lost Thursday night to visiting Minnesota.
Patrick Beverley, who was acquired by the Bucks from Philadelphia on Thursday, scored six points and had four assists in 12 minutes off the bench in his first game for Milwaukee.
The Bucks were up 66-38 at halftime and the Hornets never mounted much of a rally. With 9:01 left in the third quarter, Milwaukee held a 79-40 after Lillard’s 3-pointer.
–Field Level Media
