MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to make sure the Milwaukee Bucks shouldn’t rely too much on the 3-point shot.
But for one night, the Bucks showed how dangerous they could be from long range as they extended the longest winning streak in the NBA this season.
Antetokounmpo scored 31 points and the NBA-leading Bucks hit a season-high 26 3-pointers in a 139-117 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night for their 16th straight victory.
“It’s part of our game, but it’s not our only game,” Antetokounmpo said. “We cannot fall in love and rely on our 3-point shot. When it goes in, it’s a bonus. It’s a plus.”
It went in early and often against Orlando.
The Bucks went 26 of 56 from 3-point range. Grayson Allen, AJ Green, Joe Ingles, and Brook Lopez each sank four 3-pointers. Antetokounmpo and Pat Connaughton added three each.
“I didn’t even realize we hit that many 3’s,” said Lopez, who scored 18 points and shot 4 of 5 from beyond the arc. “I knew we hit a lot, but that’s a lot of 3s.”
Milwaukee’s win streak is the longest in the NBA since the Phoenix Suns won 18 in a row early last season. The Bucks’ run is their longest since winning 18 straight in the 2019-20 season.
The Bucks’ franchise record for consecutive wins came in their 1970-71 championship season, when they claimed 20 straight.
“That’s a team that’s rolling right now,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “They’re playing at a high level.”
Milwaukee hasn’t lost since Jan. 21, when it fell 114-102 at Cleveland. The Bucks haven’t lost a game in which Antetokounmpo played since Jan. 6 against Charlotte.
The Bucks also have won their last 13 matchups with the Magic.
Orlando had snapped the Boston Celtics’ nine-game winning streak on Jan. 23 and ended the Philadelphia 76ers’ seven-game streak on Jan. 30, but the Magic couldn’t stop the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo shot 10 of 14 overall, 3 of 4 from 3-point range and 8 of 10 from the line. The two-time MVP also had seven rebounds and six assists.
Jrue Holiday had 23 points and nine assists for the Bucks. Brook Lopez scored 18 and Ingles 16.
“We’ve talked a lot about the depth of our shooting, the quality of our shooting,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “It felt like a lot of them caught a hot streak tonight.”
Orlando’s Cole Anthony scored a season-high 28 points. Markelle Fultz added 21, Wendell Carter Jr. 19 and Franz Wagner 18. Carter also had 10 rebounds.
The Bucks will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. The Bucks have split two matchups this season, both at Philadelphia. The Bucks won 90-88 on Oct. 20 and lost 110-102 on Nov. 18.
