Sixers 117-104: Antetokounmpo wants MVP and it shows, Milwaukee reaches best record in the NBA

The explosion by the Boston Celtics hurt the Bucks and hurt them a lot. However, the 2021 champions had two days to regroup and in the early hours of Monday (3/4) they were back on their feet. They won the Derby with the Sixers (117-104) and took another step towards the best regular season record and absolute home advantage in the playoffs, which of course can mean a lot, can mean nothing.

Milwaukee rose to 56-22 (31-8 home and 25-14 away), with Giannis Antetokounmpo doing things and miracles against Joel Embiid, who is considered the frontrunner for MVP. Holliday on defense and attack, Portis on execution, Lopez and Middleton all backed up the big star of the team, with Budenholzer letting Pat Connaughton out of the rotation and relying more on Joe Inglis – Guy Crowder in the second unit. He struggled for Grayson Allen, who turned his ankle and left early, but it didn’t help much.

The Sixers fell to 51-27 (28-11 at home and 23-16 away), who look likely to finish third in the Eastern Conference and possibly face the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs with home advantage. Joel Embiid did his best, Therese Maxi was his back-up, but James Harden did little, was poor and didn’t find a way to solve the Bucks defense which he faced sometimes with turnovers and sometimes with traps to lead him to easy mistakes.

Antetokounmpo account

He entered the game impressively, getting 2/2 2 putts and 2/2 shots with steals and an assist in the first five minutes, going 10/5 in the first period and 19/7/3/1/2 in the half and looking stocky truly. Without squandering property, without attempts at extortion, he was exactly what money needed.

In the third period, he made two quick fouls, and with four he went to the bench in the 30th minute, only for Budenholzer to bring him back into the game for the last two minutes of the twelve-minute period and see him take everyone in line. Midway through the fourth period he made his fifth foul, went to the bench and didn’t come back, he did his job and more. On both scoring, creating, rebounding, and defense, his performance is really pleasing.

33 points
13/16 two throws
7/13 shots
14 follow up
6 assists
1 robbery
3 blocks
4 errors
5 errors
+21 up to +/-
At 31:48

50-46 points at bat, 13-11 points in upset, 24-25 points off the bench, 21-14 points from opponent errors, 13-10 points from second chances, Milwaukee hasn’t lost the lead.

Bucks schedule until the end of the regular season

• processors out
• bulls in
• I’m grizzly inside
• wild birds

Race

With 8/8 shots, Pax entered the game (21-11 in the fifth minute) and with Middleton – Antitekounmpo in a literally wild situation. They also went +16 (29-13) with their fifth 5-pointer, out of Lopez’s hands, closing out the period at 41-26 and aside from Embiid, they didn’t see anyone else upset them. Harden, for example, took no shots in the first twelve minutes, while they dodged several shots from the perimeter and attacked the bat again and again.

Moses put up a series of points early in the second half, but the home side’s defense continued to make the difference. Giannis went 15 for 53-37 at 17′, 63-44 was great but also fair according to the overall picture of the two teams, Antetokounmpo had no opponent and the Sixers looked boxed in, as the Bucks looked a few nights ago against the Celtics. The halftime score of 69-53 may have sunk the Philadelphia team, as the Stags had 23 of 30 two-pointers and five batters in the double figures.

The Bucks didn’t start well in the second half, the Sixers nibbled the lead to five (71-66) in a few minutes and held their opponents without a basket during that time. In the 30th minute, Milwaukee lost Allen with a twist and watched Antetokounmpo get charged with his fourth foul, but also saw Portis do a great job keeping the 2021 champ ahead. Taking the Sixers to a 96-82 rally at the end of the period, the scale clearly tilted in favor of the home team.

And when Holiday and Antetokounmpo stepped on the gas, the difference went to 22 (109-87) eight minutes before the end, as a result of which the Sixers concluded their fate. Or something like that, anyway, as PJ Tucker fouled Giannis with 5:46 to go with the score 111-92, but that wasn’t able to change the slightest thing. Rivers emptied his seat and everyone agreed that the Bucks were the best team of the night. And with a difference.

the dodecalepta: 41-26, 69-53, 96-82, 117-104

Bucks Milwaukee (Mike Budenholzer): Middleton 19 (3/6 2-pointers, 3/8 3-pointers, 4/4 shots, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 foul), Antetokounmpo 33 (13/16 2-point, 7/ 13 3-pointers, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers, 5 fouls at 31:48), Lopez 21 (11/8 2-pointers, 3-1/2 shots, 2-2 snaps, 6 balls rebounds), Allen 2, Holiday 18 (2 3-pointers, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals), Engels 6 (2 3-pointers, 2 assists), Portis 18 (6/7 2-pointers, 2/4 3-pointers 5 rebounds), Crowder, Carter, Beauchamp, Matthews, Connaughton, Dragic

Philadelphia Seventy Sugars Doc Rivers: Harris 6 (3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks), Tucker 5 (1), Embiid 28 (10/18 2-pointers, 1/7 3-pointers, 5/5 blocked shots, 9 rebounds, 5 Assists), Maxi 29 (6/7 3-pointers, 5/5 shots), Harden 11 (4/9 shots, 2/2 shots, 6 assists, 5 turnovers), Milton 3 (1), Niang, McDaniels, Reed 8 (4/5 2 pointers, 10 rebounds), House 10 (2), Milton 2, Korkmaz 2, Harrell

Milwaukee Bucks stats: 36/51 2-pointers, 10/29 3-pointers, 15/21 blocked shots, 50 rebounds, 28 assists, 8 steals, 5 blocks, 9 turnovers, 17 fouls

Philadelphia 76ers stats: 28/51 2-pointers, 12/36 3-pointers, 12/13 blocked shots, 38 rebounds, 20 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 11 turnovers, 17 fouls