NBA: Minus 2 key players, Bucks still handle Magic

Bobby Portis finished with 30 points, nine boards and five steals and Damian Lillard added 29 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 117-99 win over the visiting Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.

Milwaukee, which played without Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf injury) and Khris Middleton (injury management), also got 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists from Patrick Beverley. Lillard added nine assists.

Cole Anthony led Orlando with 23 points. Paolo Banchero contributed 20 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Jalen Suggs added 18 points.

The Magic (46-34), tied for fifth place, fell three games behind the second-place Bucks (49-31) in the congested Eastern Conference standings.

The Bucks, who led by four points after a tightly contested opening quarter, packed a punch to start the second.

Milwaukee went on a 9-0 run early in the quarter and took control from there. The Magic gained some momentum toward the end of the half, rattling off a 7-0 run before Lillard knocked down a step-back 3-pointer and sent Milwaukee into the break with a 64-50 edge.

That shot gave Lillard 14 in the half, 10 behind Portis, who scored 15 in the second quarter. The Bucks scored 16 points off of 10 Orlando turnovers in the half.

In the third period, the Bucks got another injury scare as Portis went back to the locker room after getting hit in the head. He quickly returned, however.

Lillard had just two 3-pointers en route to 26 points in the first three quarters, doing most of his damage in the paint. The Bucks stretched their 14-point halftime lead to 19 going into the fourth.

In the final quarter, the Bucks pulled away further. They finished the game with 27 points off of 16 Magic turnovers.

The Bucks lead the season series 2-1 over the Magic with one more matchup left. It’s the season finale for both teams in Orlando on Sunday.

–Field Level Media/Reuters