The NBA Emirates Cup continued in Milwaukee on Tuesday, where the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic clashed in a battle of Eastern titans at Fiserv Forum. Coming into tonight’s contest, only 3.5 games separated the two teams in the standings and it only added more weight to this already high-stakes matchup.
After a slow start in the first quarter (outscored 33-25), the Bucks began to heat up in the second frame to score 35 points and take a one-point lead into halftime. The rest of the game was defined by runs from both teams, who traded blows until the final buzzer until the Bucks came away with the narrow victory (114-109).
Giannis Antetokounmpo was the leading scorer in the game and he added to his MVP case with 37 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks on 62.5% shooting. He was joined by Damian Lillard who stepped up late to finish with 28 points, 9 assists, and 2 rebounds on 8-15 shooting. Bobby Portis had a double-double off the bench with 22 points and 10 rebounds in 31:50 minutes.
On the other side, young guard Jalen Suggs had a career-high 32 points (12-26 FG), 9 rebounds, and 4 steals in 37:41 minutes. Guard Anthony Black tallied 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists on 50% shooting. Mo Wagner contributed 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist on 6-6 shooting.
The Bucks were -8 favorites in the game but the Magic are the higher seed and they started the game on a much higher note. In the end, while neither team was able to pull away, the Bucks were able to outlast their competitors due to several key factors that swung the game in their favor.
Clutch Play From Damian Lillard
Arguably the biggest factor in this match was the late-game heroics from Damian Lillard. The man is known for being clutch and he backed it up tonight with 15 points in the final 12 minutes. In the final minute alone Lillard rose to nail a three to tie the game and then later put in a layup to put his team up by three.
After a miserable debut season in Milwaukee, the veteran point guard is on a redemption arc to regain his superstar status. Admittedly, the transition from Portland to Milwaukee hasn’t been the smoothest for Lillard but he’s starting to find his footing this season with averages of 25.7 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game on 45.0% shooting.
Even when he’s not shooting particularly well, Lillard can still be counted on to come through in the clutch and deliver for his team just like he did tonight. Against a Magic team that had no closer at all, it’s no wonder why the Bucks were able to outlast them in the end.
23% Three-Point Shooting For The Magic
It was far from a dominant defensive performance for the Bucks, but it’s clear that their superior shooting ability made a massive difference in the game. While the Magic have always been among the bottom in three-point makes, they were abysmal tonight, going just 6-27 from beyond the arc (22.2%).
Even for a Magic team missing its best players (Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner), you’d expect them to shoot better than that and it might explain why they failed to gain any significant lead for the entire game.
Comparatively, the Bucks only made 11 threes tonight but they made them when it mattered the most and it put them in a position to win the game. In the modern NBA, shooting is everything and teams like the Magic are going to be at a disadvantage unless they can pick up some additional perimeter threats.
Bobby Portis Showing Signs Of Life
The last couple of seasons have seen a gradual decline for Bobby Portis, who was once in play for NBA Sixth Man of the Year. With his stats down across the board this season (12.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 0.6 blocks per game), many critics believe that he will never return to his peak form.
Tonight, Portis gave us a glimpse into his best and it helped the Bucks avoid an embarrassing loss to a shorthanded Magic team. In 31:50 minutes off the bench, Portis scored 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists on 81.8% shooting. He scored all but 15 of the Bucks’ bench points.
As NBA swingman Khris Middleton works his way back into form, the Bucks are going to need more role-players to step up and take a bigger load. Bobby Portis answered the call tonight and the Bucks will be watching to see if he can consistently bring that for them throughout the season.
It wasn’t a great sign that the Bucks almost lost to Orlando without their two best players but they managed to stave off disaster thanks to the superstars, Bobby Portis off the bench, and a nightmarish shooting night for the Magic.Â
The Bucks will move on to the NBA West semifinals in Las Vegas, which is currently set for December 14th at 8:30 PM EST. We don’t know yet who the Bucks will play, but the winner will be decided tomorrow between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.
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