Bucks overcome a 44-point game by Trey Murphy III and beat Pelicans 141-137 in OT

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Ryan Rollins scored 27 points and the Milwaukee Bucks withstood a brilliant performance from Trey Murphy III to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 141-137 in overtime Wednesday night.

Murphy scored a career-high 44 points and shot 12 of 19 from 3-point range. His 12 3-pointers matched the fifth-highest, single-game total in NBA history. The single-game record belongs to Klay Thompson, who had 14 for Golden State against Chicago on Oct. 29, 2018.

The teams shot a combined 45 of 93 from 3-point range, with New Orleans 24 of 46 and Milwaukee 21 of 47. The Bucks shot a season-best 60.9% overall.

The Bucks pulled ahead for good by scoring the first five points of overtime, on a Rollins driving layup and a Myles Turner 3-pointer. New Orleans trailed 139-137 when Zion Williamson was called for an offensive foul just before Saddiq Bey hit a 3-pointer that would have put the Pelicans ahead with 6.5 seconds left in overtime.

Milwaukee’s Kevin Porter Jr. then hit two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining. Porter had 18 points, nine assists and six rebounds in his return after missing six game with an oblique strain.

AJ Green scored 20 points for Milwaukee. Bey had 22 points and Williamson 20 for New Orleans.

Milwaukee appeared to take the lead on Myles Turner’s tiebreaking corner 3-pointer with 5.5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, but a replay review determined his left heel was out of bounds before he took the shot.

The Bucks won for a second straight night after snapping a five-game skid with a 131-115 victory over Chicago on Tuesday. The Bucks haven't won more than two consecutive games at any point this season.

Milwaukee remained without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who hasn’t played since straining his right calf on Jan. 23. Antetokounmpo, the subject of widespread trade rumors, watched from Milwaukee's bench on the night before the trade deadline.

Pelicans: Visit Minnesota on Friday.

Bucks: Host Indiana on Friday.

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