Bucks 109, 76ers 105 (OT)
The Bucks stormed back from a 19-point deficit Wednesday night to score their fifth straight victory,
PHILADELPHIA – The Milwaukee Bucks came back from a 19-point deficit while on the road and playing against one of the league’s better defenses to topple the Philadelphia 76ers, 109-105, in overtime Wednesday night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored seven straight points in the overtime, which featured a left-handed stutter drive on Ben Simmons, a three-pointer and a behind-the-back dribble stepback jumper on Dwight Howard to give the Bucks a 105-98 lead with 1 minute 11 seconds left in the extra session.
Consecutive baskets by Shake Milton and Ben Simmons made it 105-102 with 13.6 seconds left, but Jrue Holiday and Donte DiVincenzo sandwiched a Simmons three with free throws to clinch the victory for the Bucks.
Milwaukee (26-14) has won five straight and 10 of 11.
The loss snapped Philadelphia’s (2813) six-game winning streak, and head coach Doc Rivers said he thought his team felt the effects of playing on backto-back nights.
The 76ers played without most valuable player candidate Joel Embiid (bone bruise), but Simmons had a triple-douThe ble (13 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds) and played stellar defense on Antetokounmpo. Tobias Harris had 19 points while Danny Green scored 18. Milton finished with 15 off the bench.
Antetokounmpo finished with 32 points and 15 rebounds. DiVincenzo (20), Holiday (19), Khris Middleton (15) and Brook Lopez (14) all scored in double figures and played at least 36 minutes for the Bucks, who before the game traded way three players.
Pat Connaughton played 34 minutes off the bench and scored six points and pulled down 12 rebounds.
The Bucks took a lead with 8:18 to go in regulation at 78-76, completing a long comeback. The then had 91-84 lead after Holiday hit a corner three with 52 seconds left, but they could not hold as Martin answered with his own three and then Simmons intercepted a Middleton pass and turned it into a Green three-pointer to make it 91-90.
Philadelphia avoided fouling Middleton with three seconds left and he scored an uncontested layup to put the Bucks up, 93-90, giving the 76ers a chance to tie the game. And they did, with four-tenths of a second left on a Furkan Korkmaz corner three that was wide open after DiVincenzo tried to get a hand on the inbound pass.
Philadelphia took a 52-33 lead early in the third quarter on the strength of a 7-2 run to open the frame and Milwaukee looked to be in trouble, but the slow climb back began. The Bucks did not shoot the ball well, but chipped the lead down to 72-59 with 30 seconds left. That was when Howard was hit with a technical, and Bryn Forbes made the free throw. DiVincenzo followed with a three. Milton answered with his own three, but Middleton ended the quarter with two free throws draw the Bucks to within 74-65.
The Bucks had one of their worst offensive performances of any half this season in shooting just 12 for 45 (26.7%) from the field and a somewhat incredible 1 for 17 (5.9%) from behind the three-point line in falling behind 45-31 at the half.
Every player save for Holiday (5 for 8, 12 points) struggled on offense, and the Bucks turned the ball over 13 times. But, their defense kept them from totally being blown out by forcing 11 turnovers and limiting the 76ers to just 41.3% shooting.
Antetokounmpo and Middleton combined for just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting while Forbes missed all seven of his shots (including four, three-pointers).
Harris was the only Philadelphia player to reach double figures with 10 points, though the 76ers were bolstered with 15 points off the bench.