Bucks beat Hornets 124 -115 for 5th consecutive victory

As he recovers from injuries that prevented him from participating for much of the season, Khris Middleton is making the most of the scant playing time he has.Tuesday night's 124-115 victory over the Charlotte Hornets was the Milwaukee Bucks' fifth straight win. Middleton led the team with 18 points and ignited a third-quarter surge that put the Bucks in control for good.Middleton stated, "Right now, I'm trying to be as aggressive as I can. Despite the fact that I have limited time, I know it seems easy or something, but it is the mindset I'm attempting to develop. I'm hoping to maintain the same frame of mind because it's been productive as my minutes continue to go ssi.LaMelo Ball of Charlotte had a triple-double with 27 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, but the Bucks were able to hold him off.Giannis Antetokounmpo helped the Bucks revenge one of their most humiliating losses of the season with 34 points and 18 rebounds. Additionally, Jrue Holiday had 13 rebounds, a career best, and 15 points.Middleton participated for 20 minutes, the most time he has logged since recovering from a painful right knee that kept him out of action for 18 games. The three-time All-Star missed the Bucks' opening 20 games as he recovered from surgery on his left wrist in the summer.In each of the Bucks' five games since his comeback, he has played off the bench.Middleton stated, "I started my career from the bench, so that doesn't really affect me at all. "I've sat on the bench before, not participated in any games, sometimes arriving in the first, second, or second half." "I just know I have to remain relaxed and keep ready."Middleton assisted Milwaukee in taking control of a game that had 17 lead changes, 11 ties, and 11 tied scores. He contributed 11 points to a 14-3 run late in the third quarter that gave the Bucks a 97-90 lead heading into the fourth.According to Hornets head coach Steve Clifford, "He got going when they kind of seized control of the game."

Fourth-worst in the NBA going into the game was Charlotte (16-36), but on Jan. 6 the Hornets defeated Milwaukee 138-109 to inflict the Bucks their second-most lopsided defeat of the year. The Hornets scored 51 points in the first quarter of the game, matching the NBA record set in 2009, while they held Antetokounmpo to just nine points.Antetokounmpo spoke on the necessity for the Bucks to perform better in the rematch with the Hornets during part of his postgame news conference on Sunday, despite scoring 50 points in a 135-110 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.Even so, the Hornets kept things intriguing.With 7:13 remaining, Antetokounmpo's 3-pointer gave Milwaukee a 114-97 advantage. however failed to score again until Antetokounmpo's driving layup with 27.1 seconds left ,With 1:06 remaining, Mason Plumlee made a basket and drew a foul for Charlotte, cutting the score to 118-113. However, Plumlee missed the subsequent free shot, and the Bucks went on to win the game.They are not treated fairly by their record, according to Antetokounmpo. "They make an excellent team. Perhaps they simply do better while playing us. I'm not sure."Plumlee also pulled down 14 boards.

TIP-INS

Hornets: This was Ball's second triple-double of the year and seventh overall. In a 126-105 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers on December 22, he had his second triple-double of the year with 25 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds.

 Bucks: Pat Connaughton only made one of eight 3-point attempts for the Bucks. Over the course of his past eight games, he has made 25 of 49 three-point attempts. After making a steal in the first few seconds of the second half, Holiday passed to Antetokounmpo off the backboard, but he was unable to complete the slam.