Bucks blow past Magic to clinch 2-1 lead

The Milwaukee Bucks looked more like the team with the best record in the NBA on Saturday, August 22 (Sunday, August 23, Manila time), as they rolled to a 121-107 win over the Orlando Magic to take a 2-1 lead in their playoff series.

Giannis Antetokounmpo – in the running for a second straight NBA Most Valuable Player Award – scored 35 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as the Bucks edged ahead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series that saw them stunned by the Magic in Game 1.

Antetokounmpo was a model of efficiency in 30 minutes on the court, connecting on 12 of 14 shots from the field, including 2 of 3 from three-point range.

“It was a lot easier because we played defense,” said Antetokounmpo, who had 2 steals and 1 block. “Once we play defense, we’re able to run in transition and it makes the game easy.”

“We could get early threes, we could get wide open threes, we could get driving lanes.”

Khris Middleton added 17 points for Milwaukee after he was limited to just 2 points in the Bucks’ Game 2 victory, while Brook Lopez chipped in 16.

The Bucks were already up 53-34 when Bucks’ Marvin Williams and Magic’s James Ennis were ejected after a second-quarter scuffle that began when they tangled under the basket.

Ennis then shoved Williams, Williams pushed back and grabbed Ennis’ jersey, before Ennis appeared to swing a fist in a bid to free himself.

The ejections were likely more costly to the already injury-depleted Magic as the Bucks closed the half on a 25-9 scoring run.

Milwaukee led by as many as 34 in the 3rd quarter before Orlando trimmed the deficit to 12 with 7:22 remaining.

But after Terrence Ross drained a triple to trim the margin to 104-92, the Bucks rebuilt the lead with two free throws from Antetokounmpo, a three-pointer and a two-point jump shot from Lopez, and a dunk from Antetokounmpo.

“We just had to keep playing defense,” Antetokounmpo said, “keep our composure on offense, keep moving the ball, and making the right play.” – Rappler.com