Mavericks 114, Bucks 103: Giannis Antetokounmpo looks ready for season in sharp preseason finale

In their final dress rehearsal before the start of the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks fell 114-103 to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night at Fiserv Forum. The Bucks finished 1-4 in the preseason while the Mavericks moved to 4-0. 

The Bucks were without starter Khris Middleton (personal reasons) and Rodney Hood, who experienced a flare up in a right foot injury following his preseason debut in Utah. Bobby Portis (hamstring), Semi Ojeleye (calf) and Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) remained sidelined with their respective injuries.

The Mavericks were without Luka Dončić, Kristaps Porziņģis and Tim Hardaway Jr. along with Reggie Bullock and Tyrell Terry.  

For Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo once again looked sharp and appeared ready to start the regular season Oct. 19. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player scored 26 points in 25 minutes, making nine of his 11 shots. After utilizing his outside jumper in the first half, he got to the free-throw line more in the second, finishing 6-for-9 from the charity stripe. Antetokounmpo added 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal in three quarters of play.

BOX SCORE:Mavericks 114, Bucks 103

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"I have to be ready," he said. "We'll see. I can't predict the future. I have to be. I have no choice. But obviously I'm trying to improve myself always. The goal is always to get better, individually and as a team. It's not going to be Game 1. You've got to almost like use the regular season in order for you to get in rhythm and get better as a team and build good habits and individually get to where you want to go. But you know, it's Game 1, you have no choice. You have to be able to go out there and enjoy the game and compete."

Antetokounmpo scored 20 of his points in 16 first half minutes, making eight of his nine field goals. He went 2-for-2 from behind the three-point line and made two of his four free throws.

Jordan Nwora started in place of Middleton, and the second-year wing played 24 minutes. He scored 14 points on 6 of 17 shooting, though he made just one of his nine three-point attempts. 

"It was really good playing with those guys," Nwora said of the other starters. "Obviously I want to be in those situations in the regular season. I wish I would have made some more open shots, but I'd rather get them out now and it happens. But it was really fun. I want to play with those guys on the big stage, so it was good to get that chance to do that tonight."

Jrue Holiday played 28 minutes, going 6-for-12 from the floor for 13 points. He added eight assists, six rebounds and two steals. Brook Lopez had 10 points and four blocks in 25 minutes and Grayson Allen contributed 13 on 4 of 8 shooting.

Pat Connaughton played 28 minutes off the bench for the Bucks, making 3 of 9 shots for 7 points. George Hill scored four points in 21 minutes.

"I think we've had a lot of good days in practice and some games," Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. "Tonight, I think credit to Dallas first. They were very aggressive. They're doing a great job of instilling an aggressive mindset on both ends of the court so I think they were a part of it and I think our execution tonight was not where it needs to be. Hopefully we can learn from it and be better. There's been times when it's been good. Again, I think the practices have been good, the mindset's been good, so we're excited. Three or four more days to where it can get better and then we'll be tipping it off."

The visiting Mavericks played hard for new head coach Jason Kidd, drawing several hard charges early in the game on Antetokounmpo and Lopez. They also chased down loose balls and had active hands, helping force 15 Bucks turnovers.

Jalen Brunson led the Mavericks with 17 points.

Dallas led by as many as 20 points at the start of the third quarter but an 11-0 run late in the quarter (keyed by six points by Antetokounmpo) trimmed the lead to 83-73. The end of the Mavericks bench responded and held off the rally. Holiday, Allen and Lopez teamed with Connaughton and Hill to open the fourth quarter, but they could get no closer than 11 before Budenholzer had seen enough with 7 minutes, 40 seconds to go in the game and the Mavericks up 101-88.

Dallas took a 67-50 lead after the first half as Brunson (14 points), Dwight Powell (12), Sterling Brown (11) and Trey Burke (10) all reached double figures for the Mavericks. Antetokounmpo scored 20 for the Bucks, but no other player reached double figures as they shot just 21.1% from behind the three-point line (4-for-19). Dallas, meanwhile, made nine of its 21 three-point shots (42.9%).

Bucks announce details for opening night

The 2020-21 championship banner unveiling and ring ceremony will take place at 5:45 p.m. prior to the Bucks taking on the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 19. 

NBA commissioner Adam Silver will be in attendance.

The event will be emceed by former television play-by-play announcer Jim Paschke, who retired at the end of last season.

The first 10,000 fans will receive a commemorative championship banner. Championship rings and jewelry will be available for purchase at Bucks.com or at the team pro shop.

For those unable to get into Fiserv Forum, a watch party will be held in the Deer District.