The smiles were back for the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd said before the game his players had lost the fun in their game during a five-game losing streak.
But they found it in a 127-114 victory over the Houston Rockets at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, avenging a 19-point loss in Houston last week.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 31 points with seven rebounds and four blocks, and an inspired Jabari Parker had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Milwaukee (21-23). Antetokounmpo did a shimmy as he ran downcourt after hitting a three-pointer in the final minute.
Matthew Dellavedova played the floor general role to perfection and had 16 points and seven assists in 31 minutes.
“Sometimes as a young team, at the halfway point you might be a little tired,” Kidd said. “Losing doesn’t help; you get a little frustrated. I thought we have to smile. We haven’t been smiling of late and I thought our president set the tone tonight.”
Kidd referred to an encouraging message he got from Bucks President Peter Feigin.
BOX SCORE: Bucks 127, Rockets 114
Parker, who…