Bucks use size to dominate 76ers in 124-109 season-opening win

PHILADELPHIA – The Milwaukee Bucks went into Philadelphia on Wednesday night time and dealt with the 76ers 124-109 on the Wells Fargo Middle, main by as many as 22 factors within the second half of a bodily season opener.

Damian Lillard led the Bucks with 30 factors whereas Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 23 and had 14 rebounds. Taurean Prince (16) and Bobby Portis Jr. (16) additionally scored in double figures.

Philadelphia (0-1) was with out Joel Embiid and Paul George, however regardless of having 5 gamers attain double figures they shot simply over 40% from the ground total and beneath 30% from behind the three-point line with the regulars within the sport.

BOX SCORE:Bucks 124, 76ers 109

Milwaukee however shot 54.7% from the ground and 44.1% from behind the three-point line whereas their regulars had been within the sport.

The Bucks (1-0) host Chicago for his or her house opener Friday night time at Fiserv Discussion board.

Listed below are three takeaways from the Bucks season opener:

Bucks use dimension to overpower 76ers

Philadelphia was with out middle Joel Embiid (7-0) and ahead Paul George (6-8), which shifted backup middle Andre Drummond into the beginning lineup and left the crew with solely Guerschon Yabusele as the one different common at 6-8 or taller. That meant the 76ers had been attempting to sluggish Brook Lopez (7-1), Giannis Antetokounmpo (7-0) and Bobby Portis (6-10) with gamers who had been giving up typically six to seven inches in peak.

Lopez scored 10 factors and was a menace defensively, blocking six photographs and affecting handfuls of others. Lopez additionally cleared the best way for his teammates to defensive rebounds and end possessions. And the very best the 76ers might do with Antetokounmpo and Portis was to clutch, seize, maintain, pull and push to sluggish the 2 scorers down. It was efficient sufficient – the officers allowed the sport to be performed very bodily – however the Bucks simply overpowered the short-handed hosts.

That included utilizing that dimension to release level guard Damian Lillard, who made 6 of his 12 three-pointers.

On the night time, Antetokounmpo drew 11 fouls, Lopez 4 and Portis one.

Giannis and Damian Lillard dominate 76ers

Heading into the beginning of the common season, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers felt that his two stars had been in a significantly better place enjoying collectively than they had been a yr in the past. That chemistry was on show early, as the 2 paired off with some clean pick-and-roll performs (no matter if a basket was made), together with a extra pure wanting understanding of one another’s house when on the courtroom collectively.

Antetokounmpo scored 23 factors on simply 11 photographs and he made 9 of his 16 free throws. Lillard began slowly, however completed with 30 factors on 9-of-19 capturing.

Inside that, the 2 pair additionally used the eye they drew handy out 13 mixed assists.

Trent, Prince make impression in Bucks debut

Taurean Prince began rather than an injured Khris Middleton, and the ahead made his first 4 catch-and-shoot three-pointers and opened the sport 5 for five from the ground in scoring 14 factors in 19 minutes in serving to the Bucks construct a double-digit lead within the third quarter. He completed with 16 factors on 6-of-7 capturing and pulled down 5 rebounds and had three assists.

Gary Trent Jr. is the crew’s new beginning capturing guard, however he drew the night time’s hardest defensive project in Philadelphia’s all-star guard Tyrese Maxey. Trent pestered Maxey all night time, staying on his hip round screens, utilizing his 6-9 wingspan to maintain the 76ers star off stability to the tune of 21 missed photographs. It took Maxey 31 discipline purpose makes an attempt to attain 25 factors, simply the kind of inefficient night time the Bucks wanted to place the shorthanded 76ers away.

On the opposite finish, Trent added 11 factors on 3-of-6 capturing.

Did you discover?

On the 7:41 mark of the second quarter Bucks ahead Pat Connaughton skied in for a dunk off a Portis help to offer the Bucks a 33-31 lead. On the floor it could not look like a lot, however Connaughton had simply eight dunks every of the final two seasons. He had 29 the yr he was a participant within the 2020 all-star slam dunk contest, however over the past 4 seasons he’s been a bit extra floor certain. No less than within the opener, Connaughton was in a position to get to the basket as a cutter.

5 numbers

6: Blocked photographs forLopez. He swatted six photographs on seven completely different events final season.
27: Assists for the Bucks on 43 made discipline objectives.
70: P.c capturing for Portis (7 for 10). The Sixth Man of the Yr candidate had a hot-shooting preseason and that carried over into the common season opener.
21-9: Run within the second quarter for the Bucks that broke a 33-33 tie and gave them a 54-42 lead.
2008: Draft class of Bucks middle Brook Lopez and 76ers middle Andre Drummond and guard Eric Gordon. All three began on Wednesday night time. Denver guard Russell Westbrook is the one different participant from that class at present enjoying within the NBA.

What TV channel is the Bucks sport on?

The Bucks open the season on nationwide tv, as the sport will likely be broadcast on ESPN. Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Richard Jefferson and Cassidy Hubbarth will likely be on the decision.

Evaluation:Ought to the Milwaukee Bucks even have championship expectations?

What’s the newest on Khris Middleton?

The three-time all-star has but to follow in a five-on-five setting, so Middleton was dominated out for the season opener. Starting Wednesday night time, the Bucks will play 4 video games in 4 cities over six days, so discovering follow time could also be troublesome for the ahead to be cleared for sport motion.

“Hear, like within the playoffs, you need everyone to be wholesome. You simply do,” Rivers stated of the among the sport’s stars being unavailable to play. “That is the character of the sport. We do not have Khris Middleton tonight. So, there’s accidents throughout. It simply looks as if there are extra accidents now than there have been previously. We’ve to determine that out and I believe everyone’s attempting to try this.”

Are Joel Embiid and Paul George enjoying for 76ers?

No. The 76ers dominated their MVP middle and newly signed all-star out for the sport. Embiid remains to be recovering from an offseason knee challenge that got here up after the Olympics whereas George injured a knee in a preseason sport.

Embiid had stated throughout the preseason he won’t play in back-to-back video games this season and had already been dominated out for the primary three video games of this season — which maybe prompted an NBA investigation into his well being. ESPN reported earlier than the sport the league was going to look into whether or not or not the 76ers have violated the participant participation coverage.

“I do not care in some way. Clearly I am not teaching right here so it isn’t a priority for me. However, no matter works for Joel is what it’s important to do. You’ll be able to’t fear in regards to the noise. If that is going to work and that makes him wholesome for the playoffs, I do not suppose there’s an individual that would not signal on for that. If it really works or not I can not provide the reply to that.”

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