MILWAUKEE — Bucks coach Doc Rivers wasn’t sure it was a good thing that Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 22 of the team’s 24 first-quarter points Wednesday night.
But Rivers could smile about it after Antetokounmpo finished with 59 points in the Bucks’ 127-120 overtime victory against the Detroit Pistons. It was the highest total by any NBA player this season and five short of Antetokounmpo’s career high of 64 set last season against the Indiana Pacers.
“I’ve seen a lot of great games as a player. Sitting next to Dominique [Wilkins], you obviously see a lot of great games,” Rivers said, referring to his former Atlanta Hawks teammate. “It’s funny how a coach thinks, though. We called a timeout and Giannis has 22 of our 24. This ain’t good. I’m thinking the exact opposite. We’ve got to get somebody else involved in this.
“After the game, you realize how special this is. But during the game you’re in a panic.”
Three players scored at least 45 points across the NBA on Wednesday night — Victor Wembanyama had a career-high 50 and Karl-Anthony Towns netted 46 — tied for the most on a single day in league history.
Antetokounmpo made 21 of 34 shots from the field and 16 of 17 free throws while adding 14 rebounds and seven assists. It was his eighth career game with 20 made field goals, tying Kobe Bryant and Bob McAdoo for the seventh most in NBA history.
Antetokounmpo outscored the Pistons 11-9 in overtime and is the first Bucks player to go 5-for-5 or better in a single OT period since play-by-play was first tracked in 1996-97.
He said he was striving to find the right balance as the 4-8 Bucks try to dig out of an early-season hole. They played Wednesday without point guard Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and forward Bobby Portis because of injuries.
“Coming into this game I realized I have to be aggressive,” Antetokounmpo said. “While I was doing that, it was not working. We were down by 15, 18.
“In the second half, I had to keep my aggressiveness but keep on moving the ball. Now as a leader, you keep on going with that energy and mentality. Sometimes you’ve got to be able to do both.”
Brook Lopez scored 29 points for the Bucks and Taurean Prince, Andre Jackson Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. contributed to Milwaukee’s rally.
Antetokounmpo was whistled for a foul with one second left in regulation and the score tied at 111, but Pistons forward Ronald Holland II missed two free throws. That gave the Bucks a reprieve and they took advantage with a quick 8-0 run to open overtime, punctuated by a 3-pointer from Antetokounmpo.
“He has no quit in him,” Lopez said. “Just to be able to watch it the last seven years, to see the way he was tonight. I’m still seeing new stuff.”
Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart was called for a flagrant foul 2 and ejected when he tugged Antetokounmpo down by the jersey late in the third quarter. That play proved pivotal as the Bucks outscored the Pistons 38-24 in the quarter and erased an 18-point deficit.
“I’ve been in that position many times in my life,” Antetokounmpo said. “I have two older brothers that pushed me on the floor, were tough on me. It doesn’t really faze me anymore. All I could think about was, ‘Get up and make two free throws.’
“At the same time it’s a dangerous play. It’s not a basketball play.”
Antetokounmpo said he gave his teammates a brief speech before the game.
“The first year I came to the Bucks (in 2013-14), we were one of the worst teams in the NBA,” he said. “I was able to get a lot of opportunity and I was able to develop. Guys are missing right now. Instead of thinking Dame’s not here, Khris is not here, Bobby is not playing, we should be thinking Andre [Jackson] is going to play, AJ [Green] is going to play.
“Don’t take this moment for granted. All you can do is compete and you hope that your teammates follow.”
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.