The Milwaukee Bucks (49-33) stumbled in their season finale against the Orlando Magic (47-35), relinquishing the coveted No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference to the New York Knicks after a dominant 113-88 victory by the Magic on Sunday.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner led the charge for the Magic, scoring 26 and 25 points respectively, while Jonathan Isaac anchored a shutdown defensive effort with an impressive performance in his second start of the season.
The decisive win secured the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference for the Magic, marking their first playoff appearance since 2020 and only their third in the past 12 years.
Despite a valiant effort from Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis, who scored 17 points each for the Bucks, Milwaukee faltered in the crucial matchup, finishing third in the East with a 49-33 record.
Damian Lillard struggled with his shot, managing only 16 points on 2-of-14 shooting for the Bucks, further contributing to their defeat.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined due to a lower leg strain, the Bucks faced challenges on both ends of the floor.
Orlando capitalized on Milwaukee’s offensive struggles, mounting a relentless rally that saw them outscore the Bucks in every quarter of the game.
