Giannis Antetokounmpo returned following a six-game absence and scored 23 points in 24 minutes as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 116-110 yesterday (Philippine time).

Brook Lopez scored 22 points, Damian Lillard added 15 and Taurean Prince had 14 for Milwaukee, which outscored the Clippers by 15 in the fourth quarter. Kyle Kuzma and Kevin Porter, Jr. chipped in 13 points apiece.

Milwaukee played without forward Bobby Portis, who was suspended earlier in the day by the NBA for 25 games for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.

After sitting out one game with right knee pain, Antetokounmpo missed the past five games as well as All-Star weekend with a strained left calf. He was on a minute restriction against the Clippers and rested for much of the fourth quarter as the Bucks gained control in the final minutes, but he still grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 25 points. James Harden added 24 points, Ivica Zubac had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 15 off the bench.

The Clippers stormed back in the third quarter, outscoring Milwaukee 39-23 for the period. Porter put up nine points in the final two minutes of the quarter to help the Clippers move ahead 89-80.

After Harden scored to give Los Angeles a 100-93 lead with 7:12 left in regulation, Lopez capped an 11-1 run with a three-pointer to put Milwaukee ahead 104-101 with 5:25 to go. (Field Level Media / Reuters)