Orlando Magic at Milwaukee Bucks
· National Basketball AssociationPortis scores 30 points, Bucks beat Magic 117-99 without injured Antetokounmpo
The Bucks played a night after Antetokounmpo left a 104-91 victory over the Boston Celtics because of a strained left calf. The Bucks announced Wednesday that the two-time MVP would miss the final three games of the regular season, though his availability for the start of the playoffs remains uncertain.
“No timeline or anything like that, but we’ve got the best team working with him,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game. “There’s no one who’s going to work harder than him. You know that. He’ll be back when he should be back. We’ll find out when that is.”
Damian Lillard had 29 points and nine assists for the Bucks, who improved to 4-3 in games Antetokounmpo has missed this season. Jae Crowder scored 14 points off the bench. Pat Beverley had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Milwaukee also was missing Khris Middleton as the team monitors his workload after a sprained left ankle caused him to sit out 16 straight games this season.
Milwaukee (49-31) is 1 1/2 games ahead of New York (47-32) and two games ahead of Cleveland (47-33) in the race for the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 playoff seed behind the Boston Celtics, who already have clinched the NBA’s best regular-season record.
The Magic (46-34) have lost two straight and three of four as they try to earn one of the Eastern Conference’s top six seeds and avoid falling into a play-in situation. Orlando is chasing its first playoff berth since 2020 and only its third since 2012.
Orlando visits Philadelphia on Friday and hosts Milwaukee on Sunday in its final two regular-season games.
“I think those games will be very similar to the game we played tonight,” said Cole Anthony, who led the Magic with 23 points. “Tonight was a playoff atmosphere. The fans were loud. The refs, they were kind of letting us play. And we played against a really good team. That's how it's going to be when we get to the playoffs.”
Paolo Banchero had 20 points and Jalen Suggs added 18 for the Magic. Orlando's Franz Wagner missed a second straight game because of a sprained right ankle.
The Magic scored the first five points of the game, but the Bucks answered with a 7-0 run. Although the Magic tied the game a couple of times in the next 2 1/2 minutes, they never led again.
Portis had 24 points and four steals in the first half alone to help the Bucks grab a 64-50 lead at the break. In the first 1 1/2 quarters of the game, Orlando committed 10 turnovers and the Bucks outscored the Magic 16-0 in points off turnovers.
“They did a great job of capitalizing off every single mistake we made,” Anthony said.
The Bucks maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half.
Bucks reserve guard A.J. Green played 15 minutes before exiting with a sprained left ankle.
UP NEXT
Magic: At Philadelphia on Friday night.
Bucks: At Oklahoma City on Friday night.
Regular Season Series
MIL leads series 2-1
Matchup Prediction
Recent Plays
4th 0.0 | End of Game | 99 - 117 | |
4th 0.0 | End of the 4th Quarter | 99 - 117 | |
4th 11.1 | TyTy Washington Jr. defensive rebound | 99 - 117 | |
4th 13.0 | Admiral Schofield misses driving floating jump shot | 99 - 117 | |
4th 29.0 | Goga Bitadze defensive rebound | 99 - 117 |
Statistics
ORL | MIL | |
---|---|---|
36-78 | FG | 43-84 |
46.2 | Field Goal % | 51.2 |
11-30 | 3PT | 15-40 |
36.7 | Three Point % | 37.5 |
16-23 | FT | 16-20 |
69.6 | Free Throw % | 80.0 |
34 | Rebounds | 43 |
5 | Offensive Rebounds | 10 |
29 | Defensive Rebounds | 33 |
19 | Assists | 27 |
6 | Steals | 9 |
1 | Blocks | 4 |
15 | Turnovers | 12 |
1 | Team Turnovers | 3 |
16 | Total Turnovers | 15 |
2 | Technical Fouls | 1 |
2 | Total Technical Fouls | 1 |
0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
27 | Points Off Turnovers | 15 |
6 | Fast Break Points | 12 |
40 | Points in Paint | 42 |
15 | Fouls | 20 |
5 | Largest Lead | 27 |
Game Information
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Attendance: 17,563 · Capacity:
2023-24 Southeast Standings
TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Orlando | 47 | 35 | .573 | - | W1 |
Miami | 46 | 36 | .561 | 1 | W2 |
Atlanta | 36 | 46 | .439 | 11 | L6 |
Charlotte | 21 | 61 | .256 | 26 | W1 |
Washington | 15 | 67 | .183 | 32 | L6 |
NBA News
Jalen Brunson discusses Knicks injuries, mindset after Game 2 win
Jalen Brunson chats with Scott Van Pelt following the Knicks' 130-121 win over the Pacers in Game 2.
2024 NBA Finals MVP odds: Tatum the favorite, Edwards on the rise
Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards are the top two picks for the 2024 NBA Finals MVP as the second round continues play.
2024 NBA playoffs championship odds
The Celtics are favorites to win the 2024 NBA championship. Here are the odds for every team to advance to the Finals and to win the title.
Tony Parker helps kick off flame's Marseille to Paris journey
Torchbearers, including NBA Hall of Famer Tony Parker, carried the Olympic flame through the streets of France's southern port city of Marseille on Thursday, a day after it arrived on a majestic three-mast ship for a welcoming ceremony.
Devine Eke had his BAL doubts, but cousin Chiney Ogwumike stepped in
When WNBA star Chiney Ogwumike advised her cousin, Nigeria men's national team small forward Devine Eke, to sign for Rivers Hoopers in the BAL, he was not without his doubts.