Parker, Bucks battle to double-overtime win over Hawks
ATLANTA -- Bucks coach Jason Kidd has been waiting for a signature victory on the road.
He finally got the result he wanted from his young team.
"They never looked at each other like here we go again," Kidd said. "We didn't quit."
Jabari Parker had career highs of 28 points and 13 rebounds, Greg Monroe added 24 points and Milwaukee snapped a six-game road skid with a 117-109 double-overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.
Paul Millsap had 27 points, and Dennis Schroder finished with 25 points and 10 assists for the Hawks. They missed 32 of 41 3-pointers en route to their first three-game home losing streak since March 2014.
It won't get any easier Monday night when defending NBA champion Golden State visit Philips Arena.
"This is not the way we pictured it going," Hawks center Al Horford said. "We are really in a hole right now."
The Bucks overcame the late absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who fouled out with 1:11 left in regulation, and held on despite Monroe missing a layup that could've clinched the win in the closing seconds of the first overtime. Khris Middleton, O.J. Mayo and Michael Carter-Williams also each missed one of two free throws in the final seconds of regulation and the first overtime.
Schroder's 3 early in the first extra period made it 97-94 for Atlanta's first lead since the 6:57 mark of the fourth quarter. Horford hit a runner to tie it at 105 and force the second overtime.
Antetokounmpo had 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Carter-Williams scored six of his 17 points in the second extra period.
"I think that we kept our endurance, especially in the first few minutes of the second overtime, seeing our energy go up to another level, going off of Mike's coattails," Parker said. "He was a very good leader for us. We just got on his back and rode him."
Both teams were coming off dispiriting home losses the night before.
Atlanta committed 21 turnovers and couldn't beat a Miami team missing stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to lose sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division. The Bucks blew a 13-point third-quarter lead to Charlotte but put the setback behind them despite having dropped 23 of their previous 28 on the road.
Bucks: Parker was prolific for a second straight night after tying his career highs with 23 points and 11 rebounds against the Hornets. "I think he's really finding his rhythm," Kidd said. "He's getting on the glass, he's getting to the rim and he's knocking down some shots." . . . Milwaukee had 17 offensive rebounds and outscored Atlanta 27-10 on second-chance points. . . . The Bucks out-rebounded Atlanta 65-49. . . . Middleton had scored at least 20 points in three straight games, but he went 4 for 16 from the field and finished with 12 points.
Hawks: G Jeff Teague left midway through the third with what appeared to be an injured right wrist but returned midway through the fourth to give Schroder a breather. Teague left with 4:49 remaining and grimaced as he flexed his hand. He finished with five points, five assists and three turnovers in 18 minutes.
Bucks: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
Hawks: Host Golden State on Monday night.
