Same thing as always. The Milwaukee Bucks would keep their foot on the accelerator vs. the Orlando Magic, and coasted to a 2-1 series advantage after a 121-107 victory.
After a quick start from Nikola Vucevic, the Bucks would soon be re-established and probably put their best quarter in the series so far. A mix of effective play by Khris Middleton and Donte DiVincenzo proved to be the missing ingredient for this Bucks team, and they looked dominant to get things started. After one quarter of play, Milwaukee took a 31-23 lead.
Giannis’ perfect start would make things difficult for the Magic, just as it does for all other teams if Antetokounmpo decides to score on the fun. Add to that the fact that the defense plays lockdown, it was a fantastic half of basketball equal. In the final eight minutes, the Bucks would have a 25-9 run to earn a 70-43 lead.
The third would have a majority of the game from the bench, as the 3-point gap on the Magic continued. It would be the same story that started the first two quarters of the game in the third, as Milwaukee held a 20+ advantage at 99-77 in the final quarter.
After finishing with 34 points, the Magic would move things to within 12 points in the fourth quarter. However, the Bucks would react admirably, and things quickly reopened after a 20+ lead in the blink of an eye. They then had the cherry on top of a 121-107 victory.
Stat That Stood Out
Ladies and gentlemen, James Khristian Middleton looked to be back today. After only two points in Game 2, he would end his afternoon with 17 points, and do so in a way that looked very impressive. Eventually it turned out he was back in his usual form, and boy, did it pay dividends for the Bucks. Once he started clicking, you could see the team hitting things up in the next gear and really starting up. In keeping with Giannis’ stellar play, Orlando had absolutely no shot. It’s the same quality of play that we saw every regular season before playing in the bubble. Next, the Bucks will just have to hope it continues. If it does, Milwaukee should be in good hands.
