The short-handed Philadelphia 76ers were no problem for the Milwaukee Bucks, as they took care of them 123-109, closing out their homestand with a perfect 4-0 record. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee, concluding his outing with 34 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists. Tyrese Maxey fueled the Sixers all night long, racking up a game-high 37 points to go with six rebounds and seven assists.
The Sixers were without a bulk of their roster. Their starting lineup consisted of Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Eric Gordon, Ricky Council IV, and Adem Bona. As you might expect, Maxey was the leading scorer in the frame for Philadelphia, starting things off with seven points. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 12 points outpaced him and the rest of the Sixers squad, providing Milwaukee with a 30-21 lead after a quarter of play.
A 16-2 run to begin the second quarter flipped the tables in favor of Philadelphia. That gave them their share of the lead, as they simply took advantage of the Bucks’ porous defense. This was all when Antetokounmpo came off the floor for a breather. However, Milwaukee didn’t let the boat rock too much. They’d commandeer things back under control and go on a small run of their own, re-taking the lead into the locker room at halftime, 59-50.
This seemed to be the game where a second half run would put the Sixers away. However, that wouldn’t occur in the third. Instead, there were a few defensive lapses that allowed Philadelphia to remain within striking distance. Tyrese Maxey continued to be the main facilitator and scorer for the Sixers, as they sat behind the Bucks 90-81 going into the final period of regulation.
A pair of threes from Brook Lopez shortly into the fourth initially seemed to serve as the dagger that finally pierced Philadelphia. However, they were able to stay within single digits. Eventually, Milwaukee’s offense just proved to be too much for the Sixers to keep up with, and a 123-109 victory eventually ensued for the Bucks.
Stat That Stood Out
Giannis got the job done for the Bucks in more ways than one tonight. Not only did he lead the team in scoring with 34 points, but he was an absolute beast down low, reeling in 15 boards. Sure, the Sixers didn’t have Joel Embiid. However, what Antetokounmpo was able to do in the rebounding department solidified the Sixers not having any second-chance points. In that category, the Bucks outscored them 19 points to six points. That was a big piece behind the victory.
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