NBA: Bucks halt skid, beat Mavericks for 8th straight time

Ryan Rollins scored 24 points, and Kyle Kuzma added 20 to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a convincing 123-99 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Rollins also contributed nine assists and seven rebounds, helping Milwaukee snap a four-game losing streak. AJ Green added 17 points off the bench, while Gary Trent Jr. chipped in 13.

For Dallas, Cooper Flagg led the team with 19 points on 6-of-19 shooting. Brandon Williams added 18, and former Buck Khris Middleton started and scored eight. The Mavericks have now lost seven of their last eight games.

Both teams were missing key players. Milwaukee was without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, and Kevin Porter Jr., among others, while Dallas was without Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Marvin Bagley III, and P.J. Washington.

The Bucks started strong offensively, shooting 63.6% from the field and hitting 4 of 9 from three-point range in the opening quarter to take a 38-31 lead. Milwaukee’s defense shined in the second quarter, forcing five turnovers and holding Dallas to just 29.2% shooting. The Bucks went into halftime with a 65-51 advantage.

Rollins and Kuzma combined for 33 points in the first half, while Williams led Dallas with 12. The Mavericks continued to struggle in the second half, scoring only 19 points in the third quarter on 29.2% shooting.

Milwaukee also excelled in ball movement and rebounding, recording 28 assists compared to Dallas’ 18 and winning the boards 59-50.

With the win, Milwaukee swept the two-game season series against Dallas and extended its winning streak against the Mavericks to eight games. Dallas has not won a season series over Milwaukee since 2019-20.

—Field Level Media/Reuters