On a night where Victor Wembanyama scored 50 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo one-upped the young Spurs star.
He nine-upped him, to be precise.
The Bucks star posted 59 points to lead Milwaukee to a 127-120 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons. He took over with 11 points in the five-minute overtime session to secure the victory. He had a shot at 60 but chose to dribble out the clock in the final seconds with his Bucks holding a seven-point lead.
The 59 points is the most by a player in the NBA this season. Wembanyama briefly held a tie for the season’s lead with Paolo Banchero, who scored 50 points for the Magic in an Oct. 28 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Antetokounmpo added 14 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and two steals in a monster night to rally the Bucks from an 18-point deficit. The scoring outburst falls short of Antetokounmpo’s career-high 64 that he scored last December in a win over the Pacers.
The win was much-needed for a Bucks team that’s struggled out of the gates this season. Led by perennial All-Stars Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Bucks started the seasons with hopes of challenging the reigning champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Instead, they limped out to a 2-8 start before Wednesday’s win in one of the most disappointing starts in the NBA.
Antetokounmpo posted his 59-point effort without Lillard on the court. Lillard missed a second consecutive game on Wednesday with a concussion he suffered on Sunday.
This story will be updated.