Brook Lopez eclipsed Giannis and Lillard as he set a career HIGH with 39 points as Bucks edge Wizards 131-128

Brook Lopez matched a career high with 39 points and hit a 3-pointer with 2:40 left to put the Milwaukee Bucks ahead for good in a 131-128 In-Season Tournament victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.

A graphic featuring a photo of Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez, and Giannis Antetokounmpo high-fiving over Jordan Poole. Text on the graphic reads, "Pic of the Game. Pick 'n Save"

Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton exited the game early in the third quarter with left Achilles tightness. Middleton, who has been playing limited minutes this season after undergoing surgery on his right knee over the summer, had seven points and five assists in 13 minutes.

With 31 points apiece from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Bucks moved up to 3-0 in the East Group B standings. The Bucks saw three players score at least 30 points in a single game for the first time in franchise history.

Brook Lopez matches career high with 39 points as Bucks edge Wizards 131-128

Bucks 131, Wizards 128: Brook Lopez ties career high with 39 points

Antetokounmpo had been downgraded from probable to questionable in Friday afternoon’s injury report due to a non-Covιd illness, but he still played 37 minutes and had nine rebounds to go with his 31 points. Lillard had 10 assists and seven rebounds.

The Bucks close group play Tuesday at Miami, which fell to 2-1 in group play Friday with a 100-98 loss to the New York Knicks.

Jordan Poole scored 26, Kyle Kuzma and Tyus Jones each had 22 and Corey Kispert added 20 for the Wizards, who have lost eight straight. The Wizards are 0-4 in group play.

Kuzma fired a potential tying 3-pointer from midcourt that bounced off the back rim at the buzzer.

In a game that featured 22 ties and 19 lead changes, Lopez broke a 116-all tie by sinking a 3-pointer from the top of the key that put the Bucks ahead for good. The Bucks extended the lead to 125-118 — the biggest margin for either team all night — when Lillard hit one of two free throws with 1:16 left.

Kuzma sank a corner 3-pointer to cut the lead to 127-126 with 16.9 seconds left.

With 12 seconds remaining, Landry Shamet missed an open corner 3-pointer that would have knotted the game after Antetokounmpo hit two free throws to increase the advantage. With 4.2 seconds left, Kuzma made a driving layup to reduce the margin to one after Pat Connaughton missed two free throws.

The only other occasion Lopez has scored forty-nine points was on April 6, 2011, when he was a member of the New Jersey Nets and the Detroit Pistons. The 7-footer scored 28 points on Wednesday in a 119-106 loss at Boston, marking his second-highest scoring outing of the season.

A graphic featuring a photo of Brook Lopez shooting a layup. Text on the graphic reads, "In-Season Tournament. Player of the Game. Brook Lopez. 39 PTS, 82 FG%, 4 3PM, 4 BLOCKS."