Sizzling Bucks Ease Past Magic to Record 18th Win in 19 Games

• The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Orlando Magic in a showdown of the East
• The Bucks grabbed a victory despite playing without two of their key starters
• Khris Middleton made his first start for the Milwaukee Bucks since last year

The Milwaukee Bucks showed they could win without their two All-Stars, pulling off a 134-122 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.

Two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo was sidelined due to a non-COVID-19 illness, while Jrue Holiday was out because of a sore neck.

Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton carried the scoring cudgels in their absence, combining for 50 points against the Magic.

Lopez and Middleton lead Bucks

Lopez led all scorers with 26 points. He shot 9 of 14 from the field and knocked down eight of his nine free throw attempts. Lopez also had six rebounds and three blocks in 34 minutes of play.

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Fellow starters, Middleton and Jevon Carter each scored 24 points. Middleton orchestrated the Bucks’ offense, dishing out a team-high 11 assists against Orlando. This was his first start since December 15, per ESPN.

Antetokounmpo and Holiday weren’t the only Bucks missing players in this contest. Newly acquired guard Goran Dragic, who signed with Milwaukee on Saturday, was out due to a sore left knee.

On the other hand, Wesley Matthews missed a seventh straight game because of a strained right calf.

Bucks pull away late

The Bucks took control late in the first half, unleashing a 19-9 run to turn a 51-all tie into a 70-60 advantage at the break.

Jae Crowder, who played in only his sixth game with Milwaukee, scored seven straight points in the third quarter to stretch the Bucks’ lead to 15 points.

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The Magic managed to slice the deficit to eight points in the final period, but Middleton and Porter quickly doused Orlando’s rally. They helped push the lead back to 16 points, sealing the win for the Bucks.

Milwaukee Bucks top power rankings

Sports Brief recently reported on the Bucks claiming the top spot in this week’s NBA power rankings.

The Bucks embarked on a long 16-game winning streak, helping them land the No. 1 position.

They now hold the best record in the league with just 17 games remaining in their schedule.