In a thrilling back-and-forth finish, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to overcome the Orlando Magic and advance to the NBA Cup semifinals, 114-109.

NBA.com Box Score

Turnovers really troubled Milwaukee in the opening stanza, allowing Orlando to quickly crack open a seven point advantage. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo would eventually rev his engines up, connecting on both field goals from the floor and from the stripe. He’d tally 11 in the first quarter, paving the path towards a 33-25 Bucks lead after one.

After featuring a 23 point performance in Brooklyn the other day, Bobby Portis once again provided a boost off the bench. At the break, his stat line read 7/8 from the floor with 16 points and five rebounds. However, Orlando’s bench matched the effort, with Mo Wagner and Anthony Black each securing double figures in the half. Headed into the third, Milwaukee sat on a 60-59 advantage.

Following a 7-0 start from the Magic to kick off the second half, Milwaukee bounced back with a 16-2 run of their own. They did so in large part from the strong scoring of Giannis, who kept racking points up left and right to create separation (but oddly zero assists). Going into the fourth, the Bucks owned an 80-72 lead.

No team really gained separation throughout the final quarter of regulation, as things were pretty evenly matched. It’d remain that way until there was less than a minute left, which was when Damian Lillard drove down the lane for two. Jalen Suggs would then shoot a 3-pointer that was too strong and rimmed out. Damian Lillard would then head to the line where he hit a pair of free throws. Suggs would then miss another 3PA, sending Antetokounmpo to the line. He’d put the final touches on a 114-109 Bucks victory, sending them to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinals.

Stat That Stood Out

For the second consecutive game, Bobby Portis was huge off the bench. He was absolutely cooking early on, coming in with an amplified motor to do some damage. It trailed off throughout the remainder of the game, but 22 points off the bench is quite an impact. In addition to that, he hauled in ten rebounds, securing a double-double. In a time where Bucks fans have expressed heavy dissatisfaction with him, he’s really stepped things up and was massive tonight.

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