About Last Night: Warriors flip script on Bucks

Considering the 37 turnovers and 105 missed shots, the Warriors-Bucks showdown wasn’t the shootout many expected, though the 3-pointer was a still a big factor.

With Draymond Green sidelined and Kevin Durant having an off night (11 points on 3-of-14 shooting), the Warriors borrowed a page from the pre-Durant playbook to avenge one of their worst losses of the season, beating the Bucks 105-95 in Milwaukee.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson each scored 20 points and hit 4 of 9 from beyond the arc, while Andre Iguodala added a season-high 15 points as Golden State pulled away in the second half with another hot stretch from the 3-point line.

The Warriors limited Giannis Antetokounmpo to 20 points and held the Bucks to a season-low 95 points, their first time all season under 100.

It was a 3 and D victory for the Warriors, who shot 41 percent (19 of 46) from 3-point range, while the Bucks were just 7 of 39 (18 percent) from distance.

Klay Thompson is efficient with his answers. Just like how he plays pic.twitter.com/QFZhUdMBO1

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 8, 2018

“Defense hasn’t been that great, so it’s good to finally put together a game where we hold an opponent to a not so great 3-point percentage,” Thompson said. “That did feel really good, I’m not going to lie.”

The Warriors return home to face the Timberwolves on Monday and are expected to have Draymond Green back in the lineup. Green missed the past 11 games with a sprained right toe.

• Game of the Day: Warriors vs. Bucks re-airs on NBA TV at 5 p.m. ET

Ferocity meets fearlessness

Russell Westbrook was having his way with the Bulls. And then rookie Wendell Carter Jr. introduced himself, denying Westbrook’s attempted poster dunk at the rim.

“Just hope I get this,” Carter Jr. said to reporters after the game. “Because it could have been really, really bad on my end if I didn’t get that.”

The block was a key moment in the Bulls’ fourth-quarter comeback. Lauri Markkanen delivered the go-ahead layup in the closing seconds as the Bulls beat the Thunder 114-112 for their first win under coach Jim Boylen.

Westbrook finished with another huge triple double (24 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists) as the Thunder dropped their first game to a team below .500.

Embiid frustrated with role

Coming off a string of three games in which he’s averaged just 13.7 points on 33.3 percent shooting, Sixers big man Joel Embiid got the night off against the Pistons.

What’s behind Embiid’s mini-slump? Apparently, Embiid has not fully adjusted to playing alongside Jimmy Butler.

Here’s what Embiid told Keith Pompey of Philly.com:

“I haven’t been myself lately,” said Embiid. “I think it’s mainly because of the way I’ve been used, which is I’m being used as a spacer, I guess, a stretch five, which [is why] I’m only shooting [29] percent” from three-point range.

“But it seems like the past couple games, like with the way I play, our setup, [Brown] always has me starting on the perimeter … and it just really frustrates me. My body feels great, and it’s just I haven’t been playing well.”

Embiid acknowledged he and Butler are still learning how to play better together, but he’s concerned about his recent production and wants to help the team succeed.

The Sixers are 9-3 since the Butler trade, including Friday night’s 117-111 victory in which Butler erupted for 38 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Adebayo’s career night

With Hassan Whiteside in Miami awaiting the birth of his first child, Bam Adebayo made the most of a rare start in the Heat’s 115-98 victory over the Suns in Phoenix.

Adebayo surpassed his previous career-high of 19 points in the second quarter and finished with 22 points and and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes.

Many of Adebayo’s points came on big dunks, including this Shawn Kemp-esque slam over Richaun Holmes.

Vintage Parker

Now in his 18th NBA season, Tony Parker has barely lost a step.

Racing down the court with a head of steam on a fast break, Parker stopped momentarily planting his right foot, then spun 360 degrees to avoid a defender and scored on a layup on the other side of the rim.

TONY PARKER! pic.twitter.com/zudvC2puyG

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) December 8, 2018

“I’ve seen that move so many times,” said teammate Nic Batum, who also played with Parker on the French national team. “I kind of laughed when he did it. I told him, ‘I’ve been waiting for that move.’ They changed the rule in Europe because of that move. They now call it traveling over there.”

Parker finished with 19 points off the bench to help the Hornets defeat the Nuggets 113-107, snapping Denver’s seven game winning streak.

Stat of the night

Russell Westbrook recorded his fourth career game with a triple-double and 10 turnovers. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it’s the most such games since individual turnovers became official stats in 1977-78. James Harden is the only other player to post multiple triple-doubles with 10 turnovers.