NBA: Bucks, Doc Rivers get best of 76ers
Published February 26, 2024 8:56am Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists to lift the Milwaukee Bucks past the host Philadelphia 76ers 119-98 on Sunday. Damian Lillard added 24 points and nine assists while Malik Beasley had 20 points and Bobby Portis scored 17 as the Bucks won their second in a […]
Tomas Kauer - News Moderator 
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists to lift the Milwaukee Bucks past the host Philadelphia 76ers 119-98 on Sunday.
Damian Lillard added 24 points and nine assists while Malik Beasley had 20 points and Bobby Portis scored 17 as the Bucks won their second in a row. Brook Lopez contributed 11 points and five blocked shots.
The Bucks made 18 shots from 3-point range, with Beasley finishing 6-for-7 from distance and Lillard shooting 4-for-8.
Milwaukee outshot its opponent 54.4 percent to 37.1 percent from the field in Bucks coach Doc Rivers’ first game in Philadelphia against his former team.
Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 24 points, De’Anthony Melton added 16 and Paul Reed had 13 points and eight rebounds. Kelly Oubre Jr. chipped in with 12 points and nine rebounds and Buddy Hield scored 11 points.
Maxey drove to the basket and hit a difficult layup to close the Sixers within 97-85 with 9:04 left in the fourth quarter.
The Sixers came up empty on consecutive possessions and the Bucks capitalized as Antetokounmpo converted a three-point play for a 100-85 lead with 7:52 remaining. Lopez then scored twice to cap a 7-0 run for a 19-point advantage.
Maxey snapped the run with a left-handed layup with 5:24 to go.
Lillard drained a 3-pointer from the logo with 3:37 left for a commanding 112-97 lead.
Portis’ third 3-pointer gave the Bucks a 51-40 lead with 5:21 left in the second quarter. They made it 57-44 when Lopez dropped in a trey from the wing with 3:30 remaining.
Milwaukee made 13 of 22 shots from 3-point range and led 69-48 at halftime. Lillard scored a game-high 17 points. Maxey scored 14 to pace the Sixers, who shot 6-for-21 from the arc in the half.
Nicolas Batum hit two 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the third quarter, but the Sixers still trailed 79-61.
Beasley’s 3-pointer with 6:03 to go propelled the Bucks to an 84-63 lead. The Bucks withstood a late push by Philadelphia and led 95-82 at the end of the third.
Khris Middleton (ankle) remained out for the Bucks. The Sixers continued to be without Joel Embiid and Robert Covington. — Field Level Media/Reuters
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