The Bucks knock off the Magic and reach the NBA Cup semifinals

The Bucks knock off the Magic and reach the NBA Cup semifinals

MILWAUKEE – Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points, Damian Lillard had nine of his 28 in the final minute and the Milwaukee Bucks returned to the NBA Cup semifinals with a 114-109 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.

Milwaukee reached the semifinals of the regular-season tournament in Las Vegas last December and will be the only returning second-year team. The Bucks will play on Saturday against the winner of Wednesday’s quarterfinal between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks.

Jalen Suggs led an undermanned Orlando team with 32 points, but missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left. Lillard was fouled and sank two free throws with 9.1 seconds left, and Suggs missed a potential third-point tie.

Antetokounmpo then made both free throws with five seconds left and the Bucks held on.

Antetokounmpo extended his streak to 22 consecutive games with 20 or more points on 50% shooting, the longest streak to start a season in league history and the third-longest ever in a season, behind only Shaquille O’Neal and Zion Williamson (25 games ). Antetokounmpo was 15 of 24 from the field.

The Magic were missing forwards Paolo Banchero (torn right oblique muscle), Jonathan Isaac (strained right hamstring) and Franz Wagner, who tore his right oblique muscle Friday against Philadelphia; along with guard Gary Harris (left hamstring strain).

Orlando’s bench scored 28 points in the first half, including 13 from Moritz Wagner and 10 from Anthony Black. But Wagner failed to score in the second half.

Bucks forward Khris Middleton recorded three straight assists – the first two on passes to Antetokounmpo and the third on a three-pointer from Gary Trent Jr. – as the Bucks took a 78-70 lead in an 11-0 win in Milwaukee went for a run. Middleton didn’t score a goal but had eight assists.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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