Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points, Damian Lillard had nine of 28 in the final minute and the Milwaukee Bucks returned to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas by beating the Orlando Magic 114-109 on Tuesday night.
Milwaukee reached the semi-finals of the regular season tournament in Las Vegas last December and will be the only returning team for year 2. They will play Saturday against the winner of Wednesday’s quarterfinal between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks.
Jalen Suggs led a shorthanded Orlando team with 32 points but missed a 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 3-pointer.
Antetokounmpo then made both free throws with 5 seconds left and the Bucks held on.
The Magic were missing key players Paolo Banchero (right oblique), Jonathan Isaac (right hamstring) and Franz Wagner, who suffered a right tear Friday against Philadelphia; and guard Gary Harris (left hamstring strain).
What is taken
Magic: Orlando’s bench scored 28 points in the first half, including 13 from Moritz Wagner and 10 from Anthony Black. But Wagner didn’t get the second half.
Bucks: Bobby Portis helped the Bucks erase an early 11-point deficit as he hit his first seven shots and scored 16 points in the first half. He finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Time is important
Bucks forward Khris Middleton registered three straight assists — the first two went to Antetokounmpo and the third was a 3-pointer by Gary Trent Jr. — as the Bucks took a 78-70 lead as part of an 11-0 run in Milwaukee. Middleton did not score a goal but had eight assists.
Key statistics
Antetokounmpo extended his streak to 22 straight games with 20 or more points on 50% shooting, the longest season-opening streak in league history and the third-longest of any season (Shaquille O’Neal and Zion Williamson, both 25) . games). Antetokounmpo was 15 of 24 from the field.
Next
The Magic will play in New York or Atlanta on Friday.
It is reported by the Associated Press.
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