Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Golden State Warriors 128-111 in a testy match between the NBA’s last two champions.
The Warriors beat the league-leading Boston Celtics on Tuesday but this was their 12th loss in 14 away games.
Coach Steve Kerr earned a technical foul for his furious reaction after Stephen Curry appeared to be caught on the head as he made a three-point shot.
“I felt like we were on the bad end of things to start the game,” he said.
“That needs to be called.”
The Warriors were 14 points down early in the second quarter but briefly threatened to reel in the Bucks – who they succeeded as NBA champions in June – as they closed to within six.
But the hosts proved too strong and Kerr pulled his starters out of the game in the final stages in order to prepare for their trip to the Indianapolis Pacers on Wednesday.
Elsewhere the Celtics got back on track with a 122-118 overtime win at long-time rivals the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jayson Tatum scored 44 points for the visitors, who improved their NBA-leading record to 22 wins and seven defeats this season.
Anthony Davis scored 37 points with 12 rebounds and LeBron James added 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists but the Lakers lost for the fourth time in their last five games.
The Lakers, who are 12th in the Western Conference, were subjected to stinging criticism from NBA great Charles Barkley.
“The Lakers stink,” he told TNT. “We have to talk about the Lakers, but the Lakers are awful.
“We don’t talk about no other 12th seeds. In the East, we don’t talk about the Washington Wizards do we?”
