Giannis Antetokounmpo totaled 35 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a dominant 121-107 victory over the Orlando Magic yesterday to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference playoff series at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex near Orlando.
Antetokounmpo, the favorite to repeat as the league’s MVP, made his first eight shots and finished 12 of 14 from the floor. He finally received help from fellow All-Star Khris Middleton, who finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists after struggling from the field in the series’ first two games.
Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic finished with 20 points on 8-of-19 shooting and grabbed five rebounds. D.J. Augustin (24 points, six assists) and Terrence Ross (20 points) were the Magic’s biggest contributors off the bench.
Game 4 is tomorrow.
Milwaukee’s overwhelming performance built on its comfortable victory in Game 2. The Bucks turned stingy defense into easy offense, scoring 50 points in the paint and 14 in transition. They complemented that with a 17-of-37 mark from 3-point distance.
The Bucks led by as many as 34 points in the third quarter. The Magic got within 104-92 with 7:22 to play in the fourth, but an emphatic Antetokounmpo driving dunk capped a 9-0 spurt to get Milwaukee’s lead back over 20 points with 5:24 remaining.
Milwaukee used a 15-3 first-quarter run to build a 23-12 lead. That advantage then ballooned throughout the second quarter, then reached 73-43 when Middleton hit a 3-pointer in the opening minute of the third quarter.
The Magic were again without starting forward Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and reserve guard Michael Carter-Williams (foot), who have not played during this series.
Milwaukee’s Marvin Williams and Orlando’s James Ennis III were ejected from the game in the second quarter after both players were assessed with double technical fouls for a physical tussle after battling underneath the basket for a rebound.
As the ball moved toward Milwaukee’s end of the court, Ennis banged into Williams, then Williams shoved Ennis and grabbed hold of his jersey. As official Kevin Scott and Milwaukee assistants Charles Lee and Darvin Ham attempted to break the players up, Ennis forcefully brought his arm forward.
