CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) 鈥� Bobby Portis scored 20 points and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Charlotte Hornets 105-96 on Saturday night, despite missing star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
鈥淓verybody gives themselves up for the betterment of the team,鈥� Portis said of Milwaukee鈥檚 depth. 鈥淓verybody sacrifices and works extremely hard on this team. There are no egos.鈥�
Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, sat out with left knee soreness, one night after scoring 40 points in a home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jordan Nwora added 17 points and Brook Lopez and Jevon Carter each scored 14 for the Bucks.
Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 26 points. Jalen McDaniels scored 21 and Kelly Oubre Jr. 20 for Charlotte, which had its three-game home winning streak halted. Mason Plumlee finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 win like that,鈥� Oubre Jr. said of Charlotte鈥檚 14 turnovers. 鈥淚f we鈥檙e turning the ball over and the other team is capitalizing on those mistakes, that鈥檚 a recipe for disaster.鈥�
McDaniels scored Charlotte鈥檚 first eight points in the second half, pulling the Hornets within 56-53. Milwaukee extended its lead to double digits (77-66) on a basket by Lopez in the third.
Both teams were playing the back end of back-to-back games. Both went 1-1, with Charlotte winning Friday against Washington, despite LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward missing time with injuries.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 fool players in this league,鈥� Clifford said. 鈥淭hey know we need those guys back. 鈥� They also know when we鈥檝e played well, we鈥檝e won or given ourselves a chance to win.鈥�
McDaniels made a layup that cut the lead to 95-89 with 3:18 left, but Charlotte couldn鈥檛 get closer.
鈥淲e called a few timeouts and coach told us, 鈥榃e鈥檙e playing one-on-one, we鈥檝e got to get back to moving the ball, set plays,鈥� McDaniels said. 鈥淚 felt myself take a few bad shots 鈥� you鈥檝e just got to limit them and just work on executing.鈥�
BUCKS INJURIES
Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer has seen minutes pile up for Antetokounmpo and Jru Holiday, and the dings that come with that time. Both sat against Charlotte.
鈥淲ith the quick turnaround and with the back-to-back, a little bit of an early game, and just taking into account the big picture,鈥� Budenholzer said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e probably not happy with me, but I think, hopefully, they know we鈥檙e always trying to think about the big picture and try to keep them as healthy and kind of durable for the entirety of the season.鈥�
WATCHING OUT FOR PORTIS
The versatility forward Bobby Portis brought to Milwaukee鈥檚 short-handed lineup wasn鈥檛 lost on Hornets coach Steve Clifford.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e playing him at the four, where he鈥檚 also a problem on the glass, he still goes in the post, and he can guard all those guys,鈥� Clifford said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 tough enough and physical enough to guard most five men, but he can also guard out on the perimeter. So, a lot of their schemes and stuff, he gives them good versatility on the defensive end.鈥�
NOTES
Bucks: Jrue Holiday (left knee) missed the game. 鈥� Brook Lopez hit a 3-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer to give Milwaukee a 30-24 lead.
Hornets: Guard LaMelo Ball joined the team for pregame warmups, but missed his seventh consecutive game with a left ankle sprain. He has missed 20 games this season. 鈥� Charlotte had won its last three home games in which Rozier scored 20 or more points. He finished with 26 in the loss.
UP NEXT
Bucks: At Orlando on Monday night.
Hornets: Host Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.
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