Damian Lillard makes franchise history with 39 in Bucks debut

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 39 points in his first game with his new team and the Milwaukee Bucks regrouped after blowing a 19-point lead to open their season by beating the Philadelphia 76ers 118-117 on Thursday night.

The former Portland Trail Blazers star set a record for the most points by a player in his Bucks debut. Terry Cummings scored 34 points in his first game for the Bucks in 1984.

Giannis Antetokounmpo added 23 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 10-for-22 from the floor to become the franchise’s career leader in baskets.

Antetokounmpo has 5,905 career field goals, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made 5,902 baskets with the Bucks from 1969-75.

Lillard put the Bucks ahead for good 105-104 by sinking a 3-pointer with 3:41 remaining. Antetokounmpo got an offensive rebound on his own miss and found Lillard open behind the arc.

Lillard’s basket started an 11-0 run that gave Milwaukee a nine-point lead with 2:45 remaining.

The 76ers scored seven straight points to get the margin down to two, but Lillard answered by sinking another 3-pointer with 1:13 left.

After Tobias Harris sank a 3-pointer to make it a two-point game again, Lillard drove to the basket, drew a foul and sank two game-clinching free throws with 11.5 seconds left. Lillard made all 17 of his free-throw attempts.

Tyrese Maxey scored 31, Kelly Oubre Jr. had 27 and Joel Embiid 24 for the 76ers.

Lillard was playing with a different team for the first time after spending his first 11 seasons in Portland.

Lillard requested a trade in the offseason and landed in Milwaukee, which gave up two-time All-Star Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen and plenty of draft capital to land the seven-time All-NBA guard.

This game marked the head coaching debut of Milwaukee’s Adrian Griffin, who was facing his former boss.

Griffin spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach on a Toronto Raptors staff headed by Nick Nurse, who now coaches the 76ers.