Milwaukee vs. Orlando: Bucks Cast Spell on Magic, 139-117

Sweet Sixteen...the Bucks have won 16 games in a row, as they knocked off the Orlando Magic by a 139-117 score.

The Bucks would get off to a strong start thanks to a pair of threes, but the Magic would quickly respond, evening things up at 29 apiece late in the quarter. A few minutes later, the quarter came to a close with Milwaukee holding a small margin at 31-29 behind Giannis’ nine points.

That Giannis guy? He’d keep scoring. He’d tack on eight more to serve as a first half high 17 points at the break. Jrue Holiday’s 13 first half points (along with a 14-6 Bucks run to close the half out) helped Milwaukee net a double-digit advantage going into the locker room at 76-66.

That double-digit advantage for the Bucks stayed intact throughout three quarters. With the 3-point shots still falling for Milwaukee, Orlando struggled to cut into the deficit. Headed into the fourth, the Bucks constructed a 108-96 advantage.

From that point on, the Magic were toast. There wasn’t anything they could do to combat Milwaukee’s sharpshooting. They just kept falling for the Bucks. From that point on, it was just crossing the t’s and crossing the i’s, as 16 games in a row fell into place.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for all scorers, posting 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He’d also go 8-of-10 from the free throw line.

For the Magic, Cole Anthony posted an impressive 28 points off the bench, which was a season-high for him.

The Bucks will remain in Milwaukee to face off against the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday evening on a nationally-televised game.

Three Observations

The 3-point shot was falling quite nicely for the Bucks in this one.

We all know the types of outbursts that this team can go on, but this seemed like a different level. Right out of the gates, the 3-point shots were falling for Milwaukee — and it’s what kept them the lead all night long. Bud mentioned how a lot of guys caught a hot streak and that’s very true. When it was all said and done, they ended up sinking 26 threes. Six players (Pat Connaughton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, Grayson Allen, Joe Ingles, and AJ Green) would have at least four threes on the night. You knew it’d already be tough for Orlando to compete with this Bucks squad, but when Milwaukee’s shots were falling like that, it got even tougher.

The Magic are a fun team to watch.

For a majority of the night, the Magic stuck around. They showed some nice flashes and definitely have some pieces that can contribute in the future for them. Franz Wagner is a stud. Paolo Banchero didn’t have the best night with just nine points, but he’s well on his way to earning Rookie of the Year. Markelle Fultz has looked nice in his return from a torn ACL, and Cole Anthony can electrify off the bench. It hasn’t been the prettiest year for first-year head coach Jamahl Mosley, but with a few more draft additions, the Magic may become a threat.

AJ Green had one of his best outings of the year.

So many players had their fingerprints on the box score, and AJ Green was one of them. He was massive for the Bucks off the bench, splashing home four threes. He was incredibly strong shooter at Northern Iowa in college and put that on full display last night. It’s always good to see guys like him get runs like this and show his ability. Postgame, I talked to Bud about his performance and what he saw from him:

Bonus Bucks Bits

• The Bucks have now won their last 13 games over the Magic. That now matches the 13-game streak they have going against the Kings.
• Pat Connaughton and Joe Ingles also provided some timely sparks, contributing with some timely threes. It really set the tone for others, proving yet again that shooting is contagious.
• Shoutout to Bonnie Oleson! The Wisconsin volleyball, softball, and women’s basketball PA announcer held down the fort for Eric Jensen as the team celebrated the beginning of Women’s History Month. She rocks.
• What an impressive drive from Jrue Holiday:

• Does anybody else agree that the Magic need a rebranding? It’s been a very long time and while I like their color scheme, I think the jerseys could have a refresh.
• Last, the Bucks made a roster move yesterday, as they waived Sandro Mamukelashvili:

• Continuing with roster discussion...

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