Antetokounmpo, Bucks hold off Hornets 'small ball'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tony Parker said he'd never seen anything like it in his 18 seasons in the NBA.

The Charlotte Hornets went small ball — like really, really small ball —during a stretch to start the fourth quarter and nearly overcame a 20-point deficit before falling 112-113 to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night (Thursday Manila time) in the season opener for both teams.

Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists and made two free throws with 23.7 seconds left for the go-ahead score as the Bucks held off late rally and a 41-point performance from Hornets point guard Kemba Walker to earn the win.

"We can't give them the chance to believe that they can come back, they have a great team they have guys that can knock down 3's and get the crowd into it and comeback," Antetokounmpo said.

Hornets first-year coach James Borrego turned to what Parker called an "unorthodox approach" with his team down 10 entering the fourth quarter. He sent out a lineup that included the 6-foot-1 Walker, Parker (6-2), Malik Monk (6-3), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (6-7) and Nic Batum (6-8). Kidd-Gilchrist and Batum, who were guards last season, spent time covering Antetokounmpo on defense.

And it worked.

Led by Walker, the Hornets caught fire from the outside and got easy looks in transition. They stuck with it for most of the fourth quarter and took their only lead of the game with 36.3 seconds on a pair of free throws by Walker.

But Walker missed a driving layup with 3.4 seconds left. The loose ball got kicked outside, where Batum misfired on a 3-pointer from the left wing at the buzzer.

"That lineup was small, super small," Parker said with a laugh. "But we came back."

Walker said he had never played with a unit that small before. Batum laughed and said it was the first time he's ever played center.

"We tried to counter and go big and there were some possessions where big looked good," said Bucks new coach Mike Budenholzer. "But then I think we lost track of some shooters."

When asked if that type of lineup is sustainable, Parker said, "It depends on the matchups. Some nights we can do it. Some nights we won't be able to do it."