Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a dominant performance with 41 points and 14 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks edged the Orlando Magic 109-106 on Friday night. The Bucks improved to 20-16 on the season with their third consecutive win, moving into a virtual tie with the Magic (22-18) for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Damian Lillard contributed 29 points for Milwaukee, including a pair of clutch free throws with 9.3 seconds remaining to seal the victory. Despite missing seven free throws, Antetokounmpo’s inside scoring and Milwaukee’s 52% shooting offset their struggles at the line.
Orlando welcomed back Paolo Banchero, who played his first game since suffering a torn right oblique on October 30. He poured in 34 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out three assists in 27 minutes. He also connected on five of eight shots from beyond the arc.
The Bucks leaned on their bench to complement Antetokounmpo and Lillard, with Bobby Portis providing 11 points and seven rebounds. Khris Middleton added 11 points and four assists in just over 22 minutes of action. Milwaukee also saw strong defensive contributions, recording 10 steals as a team.
For the Magic, Cole Anthony posted 18 points and seven rebounds, while Tristan da Silva recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Orlando, however, struggled to close out the game as their depleted roster, still missing Jalen Suggs and Franz and Mo Wagner, fell short in crunch time.
The decisive moment came in the final seconds. With Milwaukee holding a one-point lead, Lillard was fouled while taking an inbounds pass, leading to his two decisive free throws. Orlando challenged the call, but the ruling stood, solidifying Milwaukee’s victory.
The Magic shot 43% from the field and 35% from three-point range but could not overcome Milwaukee’s efficient offense. Turnovers were not a major issue for either team, as both finished with just 10 giveaways.
