MILWAUKEE -- — Julian Strawther scored a season-high 20 points and the short-handed Denver Nuggets built a 23-point lead before hanging on to beat the slumping Milwaukee Bucks 102-100 on Friday night.

Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his right calf and Denver's Aaron Gordon strained his right hamstring during the game. Antetokounmpo missed eight games and Gordon was out 19 games with similar injuries earlier this season.

After trailing 86-63 with 10½ minutes left, Milwaukee cut Denver’s lead to 99-97 on Ryan Rollins’ 3-pointer with 29.3 seconds remaining. Denver made it 101-97 when Tim Hardaway Jr. sank two free throws with 10.6 seconds left.

Rollins hit another 3 to make it 101-100 with 5.4 seconds left. Jalen Pickett got fouled with 4.5 seconds remaining and hit his first free throw, but missed the second.

Milwaukee’s Kyle Kuzma got the rebound, dribbled just beyond midcourt and fired a desperation shot that bounced off the front rim.

Rollins scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Bucks, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Antetokounmpo had 22 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for Milwaukee before leaving with 34 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo had his lower right leg wrapped in the first half and never appeared to be comfortable the rest of the way.

The Nuggets remained without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who last played Dec. 29 as he deals with a bone bruise in his left knee. Gordon scored 13 points in the first half and didn't play the rest of the game.

Other players missing for Denver included Jamal Murray (inflammation of right hamstring and left hip), Peyton Watson (left ankle sprain and right ankle strain) and Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain). Watson had scored 35 points in a 107-97 victory at Washington one night earlier.

Hardaway had 17 points and Bruce Brown 15 for Denver.

Milwaukee’s Kevin Porter Jr. missed a second straight game with an oblique strain. The Bucks also didn’t have AJ Green or Gary Trent Jr. due to illnesses.

Up next

Nuggets: Visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

Bucks: Host the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Zeke Nnaji vs. Myles Turner (Ryan Rollins gains possession)	0	0
11:47	Zeke Nnaji kicked ball violation	0	0
11:39	Myles Turner makes 1-foot layup (Giannis Antetokounmpo assists)	2	0
11:17	Zeke Nnaji makes 25-foot three point jumper (Aaron Gordon assists)	2	3
11:05	Kyle Kuzma misses driving floating jump shot	2	3
11:04	Zeke Nnaji defensive rebound	2	3
10:54	Aaron Gordon makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jalen Pickett assists)	2	6
10:41	Ryan Rollins bad pass turnover (Aaron Gordon steals)	2	6
10:28	Myles Turner blocks Spencer Jones 's 1-foot layup	2	6
10:24	Myles Turner defensive rebound	2	6
10:19	Ryan Rollins misses 26-foot three point jumper	2	6
10:16	Aaron Gordon defensive rebound	2	6
10:02	Aaron Gordon bad pass turnover (Ryan Rollins steals)	2	6
9:59	Jalen Pickett shooting foul	2	6
9:59	Gary Harris misses free throw 1 of 2	2	6
9:59	Bucks offensive team rebound	2	6
9:59	Gary Harris makes free throw 2 of 2	3	6
9:42	Spencer Jones misses 22-foot three point jumper	3	6
9:39	Myles Turner defensive rebound	3	6
9:35	Myles Turner misses 26-foot running jump shot	3	6
9:31	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	3	6
9:22	Gary Harris shooting foul	3	6
9:22	(09:22) [Bucks] COACH'S CHALLENGE (REPLAY SUPPORTS CALL) [Bucks] charged with a timeout	3	6
9:22	Bucks Full timeout	3	6
9:22	Aaron Gordon makes free throw 1 of 3	3	7
9:22	Aaron Gordon misses free throw 2 of 3	3	7
9:22	Nuggets offensive team rebound	3	7
9:22	Aaron Gordon makes free throw 3 of 3	3	8
9:01	Ryan Rollins misses driving floating jump shot	3	8
8:59	Ryan Rollins offensive rebound	3	8
8:50	Ryan Rollins misses 26-foot three point jumper	3	8
8:47	Gary Harris offensive rebound	3	8
8:44	Giannis Antetokounmpo makes 1-foot driving dunk (Gary Harris assists)	5	8
8:33	Zeke Nnaji misses 26-foot three point jumper	5	8
8:29	Kyle Kuzma defensive rebound	5	8
8:27	Aaron Gordon shooting foul	5	8
8:27	Giannis Antetokounmpo makes free throw 1 of 2	6	8
8:27	Giannis Antetokounmpo makes free throw 2 of 2	7	8
8:10	Julian Strawther makes 3-foot two point shot (Zeke Nnaji assists)	7	10
7:53	Gary Harris misses 28-foot three point step back jumpshot	7	10
7:49	Aaron Gordon defensive rebound	7	10
7:45	Aaron Gordon misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	7	10
7:40	Kyle Kuzma defensive rebound	7	10
7:37	Giannis Antetokounmpo lost ball turnover (Julian Strawther steals)	7	10
7:30	Aaron Gordon makes two point shot	7	12
7:23	Ryan Rollins misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	7	12
7:21	Zeke Nnaji defensive rebound	7	12
7:15	Jalen Pickett misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	7	12
7:12	Kyle Kuzma defensive rebound	7	12
6:47	Ryan Rollins makes 25-foot three pointer (Giannis Antetokounmpo assists)	10	12
6:32	Amir Coffey enters the game for Kyle Kuzma	10	12
6:32	Tim Hardaway Jr. enters the game for Julian Strawther	10	12
6:17	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 17-foot step back jumpshot	10	12
6:13	Amir Coffey defensive rebound	10	12
6:01	Myles Turner makes 17-foot jumper (Giannis Antetokounmpo assists)	12	12
5:44	Myles Turner blocks Zeke Nnaji 's 4-foot driving layup	12	12
5:44	Nuggets offensive team rebound	12	12
5:34	Jalen Pickett misses two point shot	12	12
5:31	Giannis Antetokounmpo defensive rebound	12	12
5:24	Giannis Antetokounmpo bad pass turnover (Aaron Gordon steals)	12	12
5:19	Spencer Jones makes running layup (Aaron Gordon assists)	12	14
5:19	Giannis Antetokounmpo defensive goaltending violation	12	14
5:02	Gary Harris misses 23-foot three point jumper	12	14
4:59	Aaron Gordon defensive rebound	12	14
4:37	Aaron Gordon misses 19-foot step back jumpshot	12	14
4:35	Giannis Antetokounmpo defensive rebound	12	14
4:35	Bucks delay of game violation	12	14
4:25	Ryan Rollins misses 18-foot pullup jump shot	12	14
4:21	Gary Harris offensive rebound	12	14
4:19	Amir Coffey misses 28-foot three point jumper	12	14
4:16	Zeke Nnaji defensive rebound	12	14
3:59	Zeke Nnaji misses 24-foot three point jumper	12	14
3:57	Bucks defensive team rebound	12	14
3:57	Cole Anthony enters the game for Ryan Rollins	12	14
3:57	Bobby Portis enters the game for Giannis Antetokounmpo	12	14
3:57	Bruce Brown enters the game for Jalen Pickett	12	14
3:43	Myles Turner bad pass turnover (Bruce Brown steals)	12	14
3:39	Bruce Brown makes running layup	12	16
3:27	Cole Anthony bad pass turnover (Spencer Jones steals)	12	16
3:24	Bruce Brown makes running layup (Spencer Jones assists)	12	18
3:24	Bucks Full timeout	12	18
3:24	Pete Nance enters the game for Myles Turner	12	18
3:24	Kyle Kuzma enters the game for Gary Harris	12	18
3:24	Hunter Tyson enters the game for Aaron Gordon	12	18
3:05	Amir Coffey makes driving layup (Cole Anthony assists)	14	18
2:48	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 10-foot two point shot	14	18
2:44	Bobby Portis defensive rebound	14	18
2:27	Cole Anthony makes 25-foot three point jumper (Kyle Kuzma assists)	17	18
2:02	Hunter Tyson misses 25-foot three point jumper	17	18
1:59	Bobby Portis defensive rebound	17	18
1:37	Amir Coffey misses 20-foot pullup jump shot	17	18
1:37	Bucks offensive team rebound	17	18
1:37	shot clock turnover	17	18
1:21	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 3-foot turnaround jump shot	17	18
1:18	Bobby Portis defensive rebound	17	18
1:11	Pete Nance misses 25-foot three point jumper	17	18
1:08	Zeke Nnaji defensive rebound	17	18
1:03	DaRon Holmes II enters the game for Zeke Nnaji	17	18
1:01	Amir Coffey personal foul	17	18
52.3	DaRon Holmes II makes 24-foot three point jumper (Hunter Tyson assists)	17	21
38.4	Cole Anthony makes 9-foot two point shot	19	21
22.6	Pete Nance blocks Bruce Brown 's 4-foot two point shot	19	21
22.6	Nuggets offensive team rebound	19	21
20.6	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 22-foot three point jumper	19	21
17.1	Bobby Portis defensive rebound	19	21
5.7	Hunter Tyson personal foul	19	21
1.6	Cole Anthony makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Kyle Kuzma assists)	21	21
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	21	21

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Fiserv Forum

Milwaukee, WI

Date & Time

2:30 AM, January 24, 2026

Coverage

Prime Video, FanDuel SN WI, Altitude Sports, NBA League Pass, Altitude 2 Sports

Attendance

17,341

Referees

Curtis Blair, Michael Smith, Mitchell Ervin

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	40	13	.755	L2
Denver	34	19	.642	W1
Minnesota	32	22	.593	L2
Portland	25	28	.472	W2
Utah	16	37	.302	L2

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Detroit	38	13	.745	W1
Cleveland	32	21	.604	W3
Chicago	24	29	.453	L4
Milwaukee	21	29	.420	W3
Indiana	13	40	.245	L4

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Strawther scores 20 points as short-handed Nuggets outlast slumping Bucks 102-100

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