Impressive encores
Another victory in back-to-back set
ORLANDO – The Milwaukee Bucks have taken pride this season in their ability to play well on the second night of back-to-back games, winning more of those than anyone else in the NBA.
They delivered again Saturday night.
After losing Friday night in Miami, the Bucks responded with an impressive 111-104 victory over the more-rested Orlando Magic, who were riding a season-high, three-game winning streak.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led everyone with 32 points, including 19 in the second half and 11 in the fourth quarter, when the Bucks took control and never let it go.
Khris Middleton had 21 points, making 8 of his 13 shots, and added nine rebounds and seven assists. Eric Bledsoe had 18 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, and eight assists.
Jason Terry, who was scoreless in the first half, scored 11 in the second half.
The Bucks have won eight of their last 10 and finished this road trip 3-1, but even more impressively, they are a league-best 9-3 this season when playing on the second night of a back-toback.
“This was a mental toughness win tonight,” Bucks coach Joe Prunty said. “Effort was there from the beginning. It doesn’t matter what happened in the previous game. This is the game you
focus on. We come into each game that way.”
The Bucks were without center John Henson, who started Friday night in Miami but aggravated an already tender right hamstring. He is questionable for Tuesday night when the Bucks return to action against the Hawks.
“On the second night, you just do what it takes to win. It’s a mind-set,” Terry said. “It takes a collective team effort. We were a little short-handed, but everyone stepped up again.”
The Bucks (31-24) remain a game and half behind the Central Division leading Cleveland Cavaliers (32-22).
The Magic played without leading scorer Aaron Gordon (hip flexor) and center Nikola Vucevic (left hand), but they were the aggressors in the first half Saturday when they led by as many as nine points.
Mario Hezonja led the Magic with 23 points. Evan Fournier had 20 points. Reserve Shelvin Mack had 19 points and 10 assists.
After a slow start, the Bucks got better as the game progressed. They shot 52.4% (43 of 82) but 65% (13 of 20) in the fourth quarter. When the defense tightened, the Bucks relied more on Antetokounmpo, and he made 5 of 8 shots.
Middleton and Bledsoe both hit their only two shots in the fourth. Bledsoe also was perfect with four free throws in the period.
“It was a real nice job by a lot of people in the second half,” Prunty said. “Early on, it was back and forth with both teams scoring and the lead changing hands. Down the stretch, we just continued to push.”
The Magic (18-37) never led in the fourth. They closed to within two points when Jonathon Simmons scored with 1:45 remaining, but the Bucks responded with seven consecutive points, including a three-point play by Antetokounmpo.
“We were just playing hard,” Antetokounmpo said. “We know guys are tired (on the second night), but we do a good job moving the ball. You can’t play iso basketball because you’re basically tired. So you have to play better team ball. Yesterday (in Miami) was a tough one.
"I think we’re playing great basketball now.”
The Bucks, who scored just eight points in the third quarter of Friday night’s loss in Miami, scored 13 points in the first four minutes of the second half Saturday, including eight by Antetokounmpo.
Terry hit back-to-back three-pointers late in the third quarter, helping the Bucks build a 78-74 lead going into the fourth.
The Magic led, 54-50, at intermission after outhustling the Bucks early. It led by as many as nine points in the second quarter.
Antetokounmpo had 13 points but only two rebounds in the first half when the Bucks had no second-chance points and were outrebounded,
25-17.