Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns greet each other after the game at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Barry Gossage, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP
The Milwaukee Bucks became the first team to clinch an NBA playoff place on Tuesday after holding off a late rally from the Phoenix Suns to complete a 116-104 road victory in Arizona.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points with 11 rebounds and eight assists as the Bucks brought up their 50th win of the regular season to cement their grip on first place at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Antetokounmpo was backed by 21 points from Brook Lopez while three other Milwaukee players finished in double figures.
The Bucks now lead the Eastern Conference by three games from Boston with a 50-19 record as the regular season enters its final stretch.
But it needed a late burst of scoring by Milwaukee to make sure of victory, the Bucks stitching together a 24-9 run in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter to pull clear after the Suns had edged into a 95-92 lead with 8min 47sec remaining.
Devin Booker led the Suns scorers with 30 points while Deandre Ayton finished with 16 points for the hosts.
In other games Tuesday, the in-form New York Knicks overcame a 38-point display from Damian Lillard which included eight three-pointers to overpower the Trail Blazers, 123-107.
Immanuel Quickley had 26 points, Julius Randle 24 and RJ Barrett 22 on a night when six Knicks players broke double figures.
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