Giannis Antetokounmpo Sinks Buzzer-Beater as Bucks Edge Pacers; Jokic, Nurkic Deliver Late Winners in NBA Thriller Night

Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a stunning buzzer-beater to cap his 33-point night, lifting the Milwaukee Bucks to a dramatic 117-115 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis on Monday. The Greek superstar’s turnaround fadeaway as time expired sealed the win and continued his dominant start to the season.

Antetokounmpo also grabbed 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double in six games, while Kyle Kuzma added 15 points off the bench. Cole Anthony (11), Gary Trent Jr. (11), and AJ Green (13) provided key scoring support as Milwaukee improved its record against the reigning Eastern Conference champions.

Despite forcing 18 turnovers and holding Milwaukee to just 59% shooting from the free-throw line, the Pacers slipped to 1–6 — their fourth defeat decided by six points or fewer. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 32 points, Quenton Jackson tallied a double-double (21 points, 10 rebounds), and Jarace Walker added 18 points and eight boards. Aaron Nesmith tied the game at 115–115 with 15 seconds remaining before Antetokounmpo’s heroics sealed the Bucks’ win.

Elsewhere, the Minnesota Timberwolves continued their early momentum with a 125–109 win over the winless Brooklyn Nets. Donte DiVincenzo hit six 3-pointers en route to 25 points, while Julius Randle’s triple-double (19 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) and Jaden McDaniels’ 22 points helped Minnesota pull away in the fourth. Cam Thomas paced Brooklyn with 25 points, but the Nets’ offense faltered late, shooting just 6-of-26 in the final quarter.

In New York, Karl-Anthony Towns’ 33-point, 13-rebound effort powered the Knicks past the Washington Wizards 119–102. Josh Hart contributed a crucial 12-point, 10-rebound double-double, sparking a 41–24 third-quarter surge. The Wizards, led by Alex Sarr’s 19 points, dropped their fifth straight.

Nikola Jokic reminded the league why he remains the centerpiece of Denver’s success, posting 34 points and 14 assists as the Nuggets outlasted the Sacramento Kings 130–124. Christian Braun scored a season-high 21, while Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray combined for 35. Former Nugget Russell Westbrook shone for Sacramento with 26 points and 12 rebounds in his first meeting against his old team.

In Boston, Jusuf Nurkic scored the game-winning basket with 0.6 seconds left to lift the Utah Jazz to a 105–103 win over the Celtics. Nurkic finished with an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double, while rookie Keyonte George led Utah with 31 points. Jaylen Brown’s 36-point effort wasn’t enough as Boston fell after a crucial offensive foul in the closing seconds.

Other results saw the Houston Rockets extend their winning streak to four games with a 110–102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, powered by Alperen Sengun’s 26 points and 11 rebounds. The Los Angeles Lakers, without LeBron James or Luka Doncic, beat the Portland Trail Blazers 123–115 behind Deandre Ayton’s 29 points, while Cade Cunningham erupted for 33 as Detroit defeated Memphis 114–106. In Los Angeles, Bam Adebayo’s 25 points led the Miami Heat past the Clippers 120–119 in a one-point thriller.