MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks past the Philadelphia 76ers 114-105 on Thursday night.
Brook Lopez added 19 points and seven rebounds and Damian Lillard had 17 points and nine assists for the Bucks, who won at home after losing three of four on the West Coast, including a 129-94 drubbing of the Kings from Sacramento on Tuesday.
Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points for the 76ers, who closed out a 1-2 road trip. Tobias Harris added 15 points and Cam Payne had 13.
The Bucks, who led 83-80 early in the fourth quarter, took an 88-87 lead on a Bobby Portis layup with 8:42 remaining. AJ Green followed with three free throws and a 3-pointer to extend a lead that the Bucks would not relinquish.
The shooting guard came off the bench and finished with 14 points in 28 minutes.
“It’s my job to stay ready and when the shots are there, you just have to let them rip and trust that they will fall,” Green said.
The Bucks were shorthanded as starting guard Malik Beasley and reserve MarJon Beauchamp were out with back spasms. Khris Middleton missed his 16th straight game with a sprained left ankle.
Without Joel Embiid, Philadelphia is struggling to generate offense. The 76ers lost 13 of 20 without Embiid, who is recovering from a meniscus injury in his left knee. They were held to 79 points in back-to-back games against the New York Knicks on Sunday and Tuesday, and reached that point total on Thursday with two minutes left in the third.
“I feel like we got the juice right today. We had fun and it showed on the field,” Payne said.
Payne said the team was successful early in the game in putting pressure on Antetokounmpo, who had seven turnovers.
Philadelphia fired from the start, connecting on 11 of 20 shots, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range in the first quarter, ending with a 10-0 run.
The 76ers led by 12 in the second. Payne, traded by Milwaukee to Philadelphia in February for Patrick Beverley, scored 11 points in the quarter, including three straight 3-pointers. Philadelphia led 61-53 at halftime shooting 56% from the field and 58% from long range. Maxey had 18 points in the first half, going 4 of 5 from 3-point range.
The Bucks committed 10 turnovers in the first half, leading to 17 points for the Sixers.
“I thought the effort was really good,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said. “We were doing a lot of things we wanted to do. We turned them over a lot in the first half. That’s probably the difference in the game, we weren’t able to get as many turnovers in the second. But I think we did a lot of really good things.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said the 76ers were the more aggressive team until later in the game.
“They were the instigators for the first three quarters,” Rivers said. “I thought in the fourth quarter things turned around.”
The Bucks focused their attention on stopping Maxey, who didn’t make a shot from the field in the fourth.
Lopez connected on 5 of 10 shots from deep, which he said was an advantage of getting open shots as Philadelphia focused on stopping pick-and-roll plays involving Antetokounmpo and Lillard.
“They get so much attention, and rightfully so,” Lopez said. “The gravity of that pick and roll. It draws everyone in. You just have to be ready on the weak side.”
FOLLOWING
76ers: Host Charlotte on Saturday.
Bucks: Host Phoenix on Sunday.
——
APNBA:
