Giannis Antetokounmpo produced a triple-double for the Bucks while leading his team to a 117-111 road victory in the season opener. The 6’ 11” forward had 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists before he fouled out with more than five minutes left, but not before helping his team wipe out a 17 point deficit.
The teams combined for 94 three-point attempts, but they missed more than 60. Russell Westbrook scored 24 to lead the Houston Rockets. Last year’s N-B-A scoring leader, James Harden, was held to 19, including just two in the second half.
Milwaukee hosts Miami in its home opener Saturday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo denies saying it would be harder to remain with the Bucks if the team underperforms. He was interviewed by researchers at the Harvard Business School for a case study on the Milwaukee franchise.
Antetokounmpo is eligible for a supermax extension worth nearly 254-million dollars after this season. He flatly denied the quote.
Bucks co-owner Jamie Dinan says the researchers needed conflict for the study to work as a teaching case. However, he doesn’t think his player was misquoted because the interview was taped.
