LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo led a potent Milwaukee attack, scoring a season-high 50 points Tuesday as the Bucks snapped a modest two-game losing skid with a 128-119 win over Indiana Pacers.

The teams went back and forth in the third quarter before the Bucks outscored the Pacers 29-24 in the fourth for the win and a four-game sweep of the season series.

Antetokounmpo grabbed 14 rebounds and had 17-of-21 shooting while Khris Middleton contributed 19 points and eight assists for Milwaukee, who shot 50 per cent from the field for the fifth time in the last seven games.

Antetokounmpo set a career high with his seventh 40-point game of the season and scored 50 for the first time since the title-clinching contest in the NBA Finals last season against Phoenix, which gave the Bucks their first championship in 50 years.

Jrue Holiday notched 14 points and eight assists and reserve Lindell Wiggington had a career-high 12 points in the win.

Buddy Hield paced Indiana with 36 points and hit eight of 12 shots from behind three point range. Tyrese Haliburton recorded 17 points and eight assists. Goga Bitadze chipped in 12 points, and Jalen Smith added 11.

Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown had 29 points and eight rebounds while Jayson Tatum added 28 points and 12 rebounds as Boston Celtics clobbered Philadelphia 76ers 135-87 to earn their ninth-consecutive victory.

Aaron Nesmith tallied 18 points, Grant Williams scored 12 and Derrick White had 11 for the red-hot Celtics, who made 25 of 45 shots from three-point range.

The Sixers played for the third-consecutive game without James Harden, who was acquired last week from Brooklyn Nets for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round draft picks.

Harden will be sidelined through the All-Star break with a sore hamstring.

Paul Millsap made his Sixers debut to open the fourth quarter, and he scored nine points in nine minutes.

Joel Embiid’s streak of scoring at least 25 points ended after 23 consecutive games. He led the Sixers with 19 points and nine rebounds.

With the game out of hand, the Philadelphia coaching staff decided to sit Embiid for the entire fourth quarter.

Also, Trae Young scored 41 points to lead Atlanta Hawks to a 124-116 home win over Cleveland Cavaliers.

In the late game, Devin Booker scored 26 points while Chris Paul added 17 points and 14 assists to pace the Phoenix Suns during a 103-96 victory over visiting Los Angeles Clippers.