PARIS _ A double-digit lead against the NBA's top team could have made for an amazing flight across the Atlantic on Saturday for the Charlotte Hornets.
And then came Giannis.
Reigning NBA most valuable player Giannis Antetokounmpo led the comeback for the Milwaukee Bucks, then closed it out late, including a big drive with two minutes left in a 116-103 victory over the Hornets. Charlotte was down six when Antetokounmpo (30 points) drove the lane, pulled up from five feet, and put in the little bank shot that secured this one.
Malik Monk led the Hornets with 31 points off the bench, and Devonte Graham added 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
With owner Michael Jordan attending, the Hornets were far more competitive than their previous game against the Bucks, a 41-point blowout in Milwaukee.
The slow starts that have plagued the Hornets all season weren't there Friday. The Hornets built a first-quarter lead and had a solid first half. The Bucks didn't take control until the fourth quarter.
A 31-point game by reserve guard Monk was encouraging, particularly his making 10 of 17 from the field and getting to the foul line nine times. The more he drives, the more he gets fouled, and that changes his efficiency dramatically.
This was good marketing for the NBA _ the first regular-season game in France _ and gave the Hornets some profile in an otherwise unremarkable season. Now they get three days off before a home game against the New York Knicks.
