Bucks Zone

The Milwaukee Bucks lean on a strong endgame push to beat the Philadelphia 76ers

Bobby Portis Jr. and AJ Green played big in the endgame.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks came out sloppy but picked things up in the second half to hold off the Philadelphia 76ers, 114-105, on Thursday night.

The Bucks trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half before finding their rhythm in the endgame to chalk up a win at home after going 1-3 on a West Coast trip that included two 35-point losses. The win allowed the Bucks to sweep the Sixers in their season-series, 3-0.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 32 points, Damian Lillard had 17 points and nine assists as the Bucks moved up to second spot in the Eastern Conference with a 43-24 record. Milwaukee broke free from a tie with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are 42-24.

A solid team effort by Milwaukee

Milwaukee was without Malik Beasley and Marjon Beauchamp, who both sat out due to back spasms. Khris Middleton missed his 16th consecutive game with a sprained left ankle. With the trio out, the Bucks didn’t just get a huge lift from Antetokounmpo and Lillard but also from Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis Jr., and AJ Green.

Lopez finished with 19 points, Green tallied 14, Portis scored just nine, but four of them came in the final period. Green had six points in the fourth quarter.

The Sixers, who continued to miss Joel Embiid, got off to a fast start to end the first quarter with a 29-24 lead. Former Milwaukee point guard Cameron Payne then sparked the Sixers’ hot second-quarter run, where they led by as many as 12.

AJ, Bobby took over in the endgame

Payne scored 11 of his 13 points in the second period, allowing the Sixers to post a 61-53 halftime lead. The Bucks trimmed the deficit to just three, 80-83, after the third, then took control of the contest in the fourth behind the combined efforts of Portis and Green.

Portis hit a fadeaway jumper and then scored on a layup that pushed the Bucks ahead, 88-87. Green then hit three free throws, and after Buddy Hield sank a three-pointer, he dropped his own trifecta before Portis added another basket as the Bucks surged to a 96-90 lead with 6:10 left.

Tyrese Maxey had 30 points while Tobias Harris added 15 as the Sixers went 1-3 on their road trip to drop to 36-30.

Doc Rivers admits that the Milwaukee Bucks struggle against teams that play with pace and space

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.