Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 112-101 win over Philadelphia 76ers

The MVP

Just as the Bucks looked to tried to exorcise their Christmas Day defeat, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sought the same in what was one of his worst performances of the season that day. To say he did so Thursday night was an understatement.

Playing nearly 35 minutes of action, Antetokounmpo finished with 36 points on 25 shots (1-for-7 from deep, 9-for-12 from the foul line), 20 rebounds, six assists, three turnovers, one steal and was a game-high +18 on the night.

Antetokounmpo relentlessly ran through the 76ers’ interior defenders on his way to the cup and put down marvelous finishes all night long, with the bulk of those coming at the expense of Joel Embiid and Al Horford. And unsurprisingly, the 25-year-old led the Bucks with 20 paint points on the night.

Philadelphia defenders certainly gave Antetokounmpo plenty of space to launch away 3-point looks and it wasn’t until Antetokounmpo’s sixth try from deep that he found the bottom of the net at the 6:40 mark in the fourth quarter. Even so, Antetokounmpo flashed his jumper off the dribble in the mid-range area.

Antetokounmpo’s work on the defensive end shouldn’t go without a mention either as his versatility and intelligence in knowing when to collapse and suffocate 76ers drives was key in the Bucks defending the paint to the level they did.

With the reigning MVP’s tip slam serving as a dagger dunk with just three minutes left to go, it was a fitting visual for what was such a thrilling, liberating victory for the Bucks.