Bucks pull away in fourth quarter to hand Sixers their sixth consecutive loss, 123-109
Tyrese Maxey scored 37 points, but the shorthanded Sixers had no answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. down the stretch. The Sixers were without Joel Embiid and Paul George, among others,
MILWAUKEE — Damian Lillard let a three-pointer fly early in the fourth quarter, before Brook Lopez got free on a pick-and-pop to launch two deep shots of his own. Then, the 76ers gave Lillard space to fire from the left corner.
Splash, splash, splash, and splash.
That barrage of deep shots in less than three minutes of game action created the scoring distance that propelled the Bucks (and former 76ers coach Doc Rivers) to a 123-109 victory Sunday night at Fiserv Forum, while simultaneously sending the Sixers into the season’s midpoint with their sixth consecutive defeat.
“We had them under control for a while,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of his team’s defense on Lillard and Lopez, who entered the fourth quarter with a combined 13 points on 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. “Just couldn’t quite do it in the fourth.”
The Sixers (15-26) continued to play without 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid (knee) and flashy newcomer Paul George (groin), as well as rotation players Andre Drummond (toe), Guerschon Yabusele (knee), Caleb Martin (hip), KJ Martin (foot), and Kyle Lowry (hip).
» READ MORE: Paul George, Guerschon Yabusele still out for the Sixers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
That led to the Sixers’ 26th starting lineup in 41 games: All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey, veteran wings Eric Gordon and Kelly Oubre, second-year wing Ricky Council IV, and rookie big man Adem Bona in his first NBA start. And during a first-half stretch, all three players on two-way contracts — Justin Edwards, Jeff Dowtin, and Pete Nance — were on the floor together.
Unsurprisingly, the patched-together Sixers group eventually wore down on the second night of a back-to-back, while playing a Milwaukee team that entered Sunday in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings (24-17).
Maxey’s shot-making and playmaking (37 points, seven assists, six rebounds) kept the Sixers in the game well into the second half. But Giannis Antetokounmpo (34 points, 15 rebounds, six assists) played like a dominant two-time MVP, with his quintessential relentless drives and punishing finishes against the Sixers’ young centers Bona and Nance.
Oubre (19 points, six rebounds, three assists) got the Sixers within 105-98 when he hit his own three-pointer with about six minutes remaining in the final period. But Lillard — who was 3-of-12 from the floor in the first three quarters, before scoring 16 of his 25 points in the final frame — answered by pulling up for another long ball, then drew a foul on two consecutive possessions and sank all five free throws to push the Bucks’ lead up to 113-98.
“I try to stress to [young teammates] that every play matters in the NBA,” Maxey said. “Even small things. Like you forget to blitz one time, Damian Lillard comes off and hits a three. Now he’s got it going. Now, he’s shooting step-back threes. Now he’s getting to the line. One play can change the whole outcome of the game.”
The Sixers also made a push in the second quarter, using a 15-2 run to grab a 36-32 lead on a three-pointer by Gordon. But once Antetokounmpo reentered the game, the Bucks surged to take a 59-50 advantage into the break.
The Sixers conclude this three-game road trip Tuesday at the Denver Nuggets, before playing a home-road back-to-back against the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls on Friday and Saturday.