Giannis Antetokounmpo (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: On Thursday, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to a 125-121 victory over the San Antonio Spurs with an outstanding 44 points. Despite playing the second game of a road back-to-back, the Bucks prevailed, ending a two-game losing run.After the Spurs overcame an early third-quarter deficit of 11 points, the game was knotted going into the fourth quarter.With 3:41 left, Devin Vassell’s putback slam gave the Spurs a five-point lead. However, the Bucks answered with a 9-1 run, capped by consecutive 3-pointers by Antetokounmpo.With 1:09 remaining, a block and a 3-pointer by Victor Wembanyama tied the score again, but Antetokounmpo responded with a big dunk and a free throw. In the closing seconds, Pat Connaughton’s free throw to seal the Bucks’ victory denied Tre Jones a chance to tie the game with a corner 3-pointer.In a spectacular performance, Antetokounmpo not only scored 44 points but also pulled down 14 rebounds.The Bucks scored 25 of their final 26 points with the help of Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, who combined for 25 points and 10 assists. 12 more points were added by Khris Middleton, all in the first half.Vassell scored 34 points for the Spurs, falling just two points short of his career high. Wembanyama scored 27 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and blocked 5 shots in honor of his 20th birthday. In his first start of the season, San Antonio’s Tre Jones scored eighteen points. The Spurs tried their best, but they were unable to stop the Bucks’ late charge.