NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden won't be back for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Milwaukee Bucks believe their shooting touch will. So the Bucks have plenty of reasons for optimism heading into the game Monday night. Yet there's also still plenty of cause for concern. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are still out there for the Brooklyn Nets, who spent all season working around injuries and proved another point about themselves after shaking off Harden's loss 43 seconds into Game 1. “That we have the capability of rising to the occasion,” Irving said. “We’re a very mature basketball club because we play selfless and we trust each other, so in any situation in a game I feel like we have the talent, we have the preparation, we have the coaching staff to be able to go out and execute.” They did that on both sides of the floor in their 115-107 victory in Game 1. Durant scored 29 points, Irving had 25 and the Nets held the Bucks to 6-for-30 shooting from 3-point range. The Phoenix... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday has won the Joe Dumars Trophy as the NBA player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. Each NBA team nominated a player for the award. After a panel of league executives chose one finalist from each of the NBA’s six divisions, 343 current players confidentially cast votes to select the winner. “Just knowing that it came from the players, the guys who go through this with me and put their bodies on the line, train in the offseason, it means a lot,” Holiday said Friday. Other finalists were Miami’s Bam Adebayo, Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes, Minnesota’s Josh Okogie, Boston’s Kemba Walker and San Antonio’s Derrick White. Holiday received 130 first-place votes and 2,752 total points in the balloting. Walker, who won this award in 2017 and 2018, was second with 2,474 points. Last season, Holiday won the NBA’s Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award. The 30-year-old Holiday averaged 17.7 points, 6.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Milwaukee’s roster transformation started after losing to Miami in last season’s playoffs, one that made the Bucks give themselves a critical look. So they got bigger. Tougher. More experienced. And in the playoff rematch with the Heat, they were simply better. Some of those new additions — Jrue Holiday, Bryn Forbes and Bobby Portis in particular — played huge roles for the Bucks in their first-round sweep of the Heat, one that ended Saturday and ensured that Milwaukee gets at least a full week off to prepare for an Eastern Conference semifinals matchup against either Brooklyn or Boston. “There were a lot of adjustments to be made,” Bucks center Brook Lopez said. “And all of that was for this time. A trio of returning players — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Lopez — were Milwaukee’s leading scorers against Miami, averaging a combined 61 points per game. Holiday, Forbes and Portis combined to average 41 more, and Forbes was particularly good from 3-point range off... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Donte DiVincenzo’s season is over, after tests showed Friday that the Milwaukee guard tore a ligament in his left ankle during Game 3 of the Bucks’ playoff series against the Miami Heat. DiVincenzo had appeared in 69 games for Milwaukee this season, all of them starts including the three playoff matchups. His regular-season averages — 10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists — were all the best of his three-year career. “It’s tough news. On an individual, personal level for Donte, it’s really, really tough,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said Friday. “But his mentality, his approach, anytime Donte is thrown some adversity or thrown something that’s difficult for himself or for everybody, the way he handles it just continues to be impressive every time.” The injury happened early in the second quarter. DiVincenzo was driving toward the basket when he apparently took a bad step and immediately winced in obvious pain. He made his way back to the other end of the court toward the... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The price the Bucks paid to add Jrue Holiday to their roster and the amount they invested to keep him underscores how much Milwaukee believes the guard can help them end a half-century of NBA postseason frustration. Holiday gets his chance to hold up his end of the deal this weekend when the Bucks begin a first-round series with the Miami Heat, who eliminated them in the second round last year. “I think for somebody who just wants an opportunity to win and do the best they can, to come to a team like this and try to make something happen, I’m ready for this,” Holiday said. “I’m excited to get going.” Milwaukee posted the NBA’s best regular-season record in 2018-19 and 2019-20 but fell short in the playoffs both times. The Bucks responded by overhauling their roster and putting a new group around two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and two-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton. No change was bigger than the addition of Holiday, who is playing for a legitimate title... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks were without all five of their usual starters Friday night as they hosted the Charlotte Hornets a night after losing at Dallas. Reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out his third straight game with a sore left knee. He missed his sixth game in the last 11. Jrue Holiday (bruised left knee), Donte DiVincenzo (bruised right hip), Brook Lopez (sore back), Khris Middleton (sore right knee) and reserve forward P.J. Tucker (strained left calf) also were declared out. Middleton and Lopez were listed as doubtful on Friday afternoon's injury report, but Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said at his pregame availability that neither will play. Charlotte also isn’t close to full strength. The Hornets announced Saturday that Gordon Hayward would miss at least a month with a sprained right foot. Rookie of the Year candidate LaMelo Ball hasn’t played since March 20 because of a fractured right wrist. Malik Monk has been out the last week with a sprained right... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks could play without all five of their usual starters Friday night as they host the Charlotte Hornets a night after losing at Dallas. Reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has a sore left knee that will cause him to miss a third straight game. This will be the sixth game Antetokounmpo has missed in the Bucks’ last 11 contests. Jrue Holiday (bruised left knee), Donte DiVincenzo (bruised right hip) and reserve forward P.J. Tucker (strained left calf) also have been declared out. Khris Middleton (sore right knee) and Brook Lopez (sore back) were listed as doubtful on Friday afternoon's injury report. The Bucks are coming back from a six-game trip in which they went 3-3. They ended the trip by losing 116-101 at Dallas on Thursday. This will be the second straight home game in which the Bucks have been missing most of their key players. The Bucks haven’t played at home since a 102-96 loss to the New York Knicks on March 27. Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Holiday, DiVincenzo and sixth man Bobby Portis all missed that game. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jrue Holiday says it was an easy decision to sign a contract extension in his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks. Holiday pretty much knew he wanted to stay in Milwaukee for years to come once he spoke to team officials shortly after they paid a steep price to acquire him. General manager Jon Horst made it apparent how much the Bucks valued the veteran guard. “I feel like you can tell when somebody’s like super excited or happy about something, and you could hear it in his voice,” Holiday said Monday, one day after agreeing to terms on a four-year extension that would be worth at least $134 million if he exercises his option for the final season. “At that point, I’m like, ‘Man, he really wanted me to be here.’ “I’m really not the type to be wooed and all that. I don’t need to be courted or whatever, but it felt good to be appreciated. It felt good to be wanted.” Under the terms of his new deal, Holiday receives base salaries of $30.1 million next season, $32.4 million... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday followed up his biggest game of the season by making a long-term commitment to his new team. Holiday agreed to a four-year contract extension that would be worth at least $134 million if he exercises his option for the final season. The Bucks announced the agreement Sunday. “I'm a Buck for life,” Holiday said in a video posted on the Bucks' Twitter account. “Just know that I'm glad to be a part of Bucks Nation. Let's do some big things, man. I'm really excited.” The announcement came one day after Holiday had a season-high 33 points as well as 11 assists and seven rebounds in a 129-128 victory at Sacramento. Holiday's performance enabled the Bucks to withstand the absence of reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out with a sore left knee. The move represents the latest step in the Bucks’ heavy investment in their trio of Holiday, Antetokounmpo and two-time All-Star Khris Middleton as the franchise chases its first NBA title... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday has agreed to a four-year contract extension that would be worth at least $134 million if he exercises his option for the final season. The move represents the latest step in the Bucks’ heavy investment in their trio of Holiday, two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and two-time All-Star Khris Middleton as the franchise chases its first NBA title since 1971. "Jrue is one of the top guards in the NBA and we are thrilled to sign him to this extension,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement Sunday. “Adding him to our team has made us better on both ends of the floor. He’s an elite defender and an impactful offensive player with the ability to score, shoot and facilitate.” Holiday had a $26.7 million player option remaining for the 2021-21 season as part of the five-year, $126 million contract he signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in July 2017. Under the terms of this deal, Holiday declines that option but receives base... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — P.J. Tucker says a move to the championship-contending Milwaukee Bucks offers the 35-year-old veteran a breath of fresh air and a chance to turn around a frustrating season. Tucker practiced with his new team Friday after the Bucks officially announced they had acquired the 6-foot-5 forward along with guard Rodions Kurucs from the Houston Rockets The Bucks sent guard D.J. Augustin plus forward D.J. Wilson to Houston. As part of the trade, the Bucks gave up their 2021 and 2023 first-round picks and got back their own 2022 first-round pick and the Rockets’ 2021 second-round selection. “Man, I was nipping at the bit today to get in practice, to get in there just to hit bodies and talk and be with the guys,” Tucker said. “It felt great. It feels good just to have my battery recharged.” Tucker gives the Bucks a solid defender and quality 3-point shooter - especially from the corners – as they bid for their first NBA title since 1971. Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — P.J. Tucker says a move to the championship-contending Milwaukee Bucks offers the 35-year-old veteran a breath of fresh air and a chance to turn around a frustrating season. Tucker practiced with his new team Friday after the Bucks officially announced they had acquired the 6-foot-5 forward along with guard Rodions Kurucs from the Houston Rockets The Bucks sent guard D.J. Augustin plus forward D.J. Wilson to Houston. As part of the trade, the Bucks gave up their 2021 and 2023 first-round picks and got back their own 2022 first-round pick and the Rockets’ 2021 second-round selection. “Man, I was nipping at the bit today to get in practice, to get in there just to hit bodies and talk and be with the guys,” Tucker said. “It felt great. It feels good just to have my battery recharged.” Tucker gives the Bucks a solid defender and quality 3-point shooter - especially from the corners – as they bid for their first NBA title since 1971. Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks knew when they overhauled their roster that they might pay a short-term price for their attempt to improve their postseason fortunes. Sure enough, Milwaukee enters an eight-game home stretch well off the pace it established while posting the league’s best record each of the last two regular seasons. The Bucks ended a six-game road swing with three straight losses, dropping their record to 16-11. At this point last season, the Bucks were 24-3 and had just completed an 18-game winning streak. “At the end of the day, there’s going to be ups and downs to the season,” two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo said Sunday night after the Bucks fell 114-109 at Oklahoma City. “We cannot put our heads down. We have to keep getting better, keep looking forward and hopefully we can peak and play the best basketball we can play when we need to.” Indeed, owning the NBA’s No. 1 overall seed hasn’t helped the Bucks in the playoffs. Milwaukee blew a 2-0 lead to the... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks knew when they overhauled their roster that they might pay a short-term price for their attempts to improve their postseason fortunes. Sure enough, Milwaukee enters an eight-game home stretch well off the pace it established while posting the league’s best record each of the last two regular seasons. The Bucks ended a six-game road swing with three straight losses as their record dropped to 16-11. At this point last season, the Bucks were 24-3 and had just completed an 18-game winning streak. “At the end of the day, there’s going to be ups and downs to the season,” two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo said Sunday night after the Bucks fell 114-109 at Oklahoma City. “We cannot put our heads down. We have to keep getting better, keep looking forward and hopefully we can peak and play the best basketball we can play when we need to.” Indeed, owning the NBA’s No. 1 overall seed hasn’t helped the Bucks in the playoffs. Milwaukee blew a 2-0 lead to... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed to a supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks that takes the two-time reigning MVP off next summer's free-agent market. “I’m blessed to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years,” Antetokounmpo posted Tuesday on his social media platforms. The Bucks announced later in the day that Antetokounmpo had signed an extension without announcing the terms or length. The 26-year-old Antetokounmpo had until Monday to sign the Bucks’ supermax extension offer. If he turned it down, Antetokounmpo could have become a free agent after the upcoming season. The Athletic and Stadium reported that he agreed to a five-year extension worth $228 million that includes an opt-out clause in 2025. “This is my home, this is my city,” Antetokounmpo said in his post on social media. “I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.” Bucks co-owners Marc Lasry,... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed to a supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks that takes the two-time reigning MVP off next summer's free-agent market. “I’m blessed to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years,” Antetokounmpo posted Tuesday on his social media platforms. The Bucks announced later in the day that Antetokounmpo had signed an extension without announcing the terms or length. The 26-year-old Antetokounmpo had until Monday to sign the Bucks’ supermax extension offer. If he turned it down, Antetokounmpo could have become a free agent after the upcoming season. The Athletic and Stadium reported that he agreed to a five-year contract worth $228 million that includes an opt-out clause in 2025. “This is my home, this is my city,” Antetokounmpo said in his post on social media. “I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.” Bucks co-owners Marc Lasry,... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he’s staying with the Milwaukee Bucks for at least five more seasons. “I’m blessed to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years,” the two-time reigning MVP posted Tuesday on his social media platforms. The 26-year-old Antetokounmpo had until Monday to sign the Bucks’ supermax extension offer. If he turned it down, Antetokounmpo could have become a free agent after the upcoming season. Although Antetokounmpo didn’t announce the terms of his new deal, The Athletic and Stadium reported that he agreed to a five-year contract worth $228 million that includes an opt-out clause in 2025. “This is my home, this is my city,” Antetokounmpo said in his post. “I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.” His decision means the Bucks will hang on to their biggest superstar since Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who led Milwaukee to its lone NBA title... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo praised the “amazing” moves the Milwaukee Bucks have made to improve the team, but the two-time reigning MVP stopped short Wednesday of saying he would sign a supermax contract extension offer. “Right now I’m not focusing on that,” Antetokounmpo said during his first preseason discussion with reporters. “I know my agent, Alex (Saratsis), and (general manager) Jon Horst and the Bucks ownership are focusing on those discussions. I’m just trying to focus on myself and how I can get better, how I can help my teammates be better, how I can be ready Saturday to play our first preseason game.” Antetokounmpo, who turned 26 last week, would be able to receive up to 35% of the salary cap with an 8% escalation each year of the deal under a supermax extension. The Bucks were able to offer a five-year deal worth over $220 million. He has until Dec. 21 to sign the extension, or else he will be eligible to become a free agent after the 2020-21 season. Antetokounmpo... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo praised the “amazing” moves the Milwaukee Bucks have made to improve the team, but the two-time reigning MVP stopped short Wednesday of saying he would sign a supermax contract extension offer. “Right now I’m not focusing on that,” Antetokounmpo said during his first preseason discussion with reporters. “I know my agent, Alex (Saratsis), and (general manager) Jon Horst and the Bucks ownership are focusing on those discussions. I’m just trying to focus on myself and how I can get better, how I can help my teammates be better, how I can be ready Saturday to play our first preseason game.” Antetokounmpo, who turned 26 last week, would be able to receive up to 35% of the salary cap with an 8% escalation each year of the deal under a supermax extension. The Bucks were able to offer a five-year deal worth over $220 million. He has until Dec. 21 to sign the extension, or else he will be eligible to become a free agent after the 2020-21 season. Antetokounmpo... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jrue Holiday took notice along with the rest of the NBA when he discovered the substantial package of players and picks the Milwaukee Bucks sacrificed to acquire him. The Bucks traded guards Eric Bledsoe and George Hill, first-round draft choice R.J. Hampton and two future first-round selections as part of a four-team swap that brought them Holiday. The Bucks gave the New Orleans Hornets the right to swap two future first-round picks as well in a deal that also brought second-round selection Sam Merrill to Milwaukee. “Them giving up all the pieces that they did, it really, really made me feel like they wanted me to be here,” Holiday said Thursday. “That’s always a good feeling.” The Bucks hope the addition of the 6-foot-4 guard to a nucleus that already included two-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton helps persuade two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign a supermax extension. The Bucks were able to offer a five-year deal worth over $220 million to Antetokounmpo, who... [More]