Giannis Antetokounmpo helps hot-shooting Bucks beat 76ers 117-104

MILWAUKEE (AP) — GiannisAntetokounmpo had 33 points, 14 rebounds and six assists and theMilwaukee Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 117-104 on Sunday nightto move a step closer to the top playoff seed in the EasternConference.

The Bucks (56-22) have a two-gamelead over Boston (54-24) with four games left. Boston won theseason series with Milwaukee and has the tiebreaker. Philadelphia(51-27) is third in the East.

Brook Lopez scored 21 points, KhrisMiddleton had 19 and Jrue Holiday and Bobby Portis each added 18 asthe Bucks shot 57.5%. Middleton also had nine assists.

Tyrese Maxey had 29 points and JoelEmbiid 28 for the 76ers.

The Bucks bounced back three nightsafter a140-99 home loss toBostonthat matched their most-lopsided defeat of theseason. The Bucks never trailed thanks to a blistering start thatenabled them to build a 31-15 lead.

Milwaukee made its first first eightshots from the floor and 12 of its first 13. The Bucks were 5 of 5from 3-point range during that stretch.

The Bucks eventually led by 20during a first half in which they shot 67.4%.

After making their first five3-point attempts of the night, the Bucks missed 14 of their next15. But after the Bucks’ lead dwindled to four with about fourminutes left in the third quarter, Bobby Portis ended the dry spellby sinking a 27-footer.

Milwaukee soon regained adouble-digit advantage and broke the game open by going on a 16-2run that began late in the third quarter and carried over to thefinal period. Antetokounmpo scored nine points during that stretchand capped the spurt with a basket putting the Bucks ahead 105-84with 9:04 remaining.

TIP-INS

76ers: Georges Niang went scorelessand missed his only two shots, both from 3-point range. Niang hadgone a combined 9 of 14 from 3-point range in Philadelphia’s lasttwo matchups with the Bucks, which both resulted in victories forthe 76ers. ... James Harden was held to 11 points after flirtingwith a triple-double in a133-130 victory atMilwaukeeon March 4. Harden had 38 points, 10 assists andnine rebounds in the March 4 game.

Bucks: Grayson Allen left midwaythrough the third quarter with a sprained right ankle. ... TheBucks observed Autism Acceptance Night on Sunday by lowering thedecibel level of noise and in-game sounds, keeping the lights onfor the entire game and not using any strobing lights. Bucksforward Joe Ingles and his wife, Renae, had unveiled upgradedsensory rooms at Fiserv Forum during a Thursday news conference.Their 6-year-old son, Jacob, has autism.

UP NEXT

76ers: Host Boston on Tuesdaynight.

Bucks: At Washington on Tuesdaynight.