Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 111-95 win over Orlando Magic
By Adam McGee
Defending Giannis
The Orlando Magic were able to hang around late into the game, ensuring the Bucks couldn’t simply pull their starters early in the fourth quarter, thanks to an outstanding defensive effort on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Magic managed to slow down Giannis’ scoring without racking up countless cheap fouls, or flopping in an attempt to draw them on Antetokounmpo, instead just utilizing their collection of strong, capable bigs in applying frequent pressure once he approached the paint.
That’s not something that many, if any other team has proven capable of doing this season, and it meant that Antetokounmpo would finish with just 18 points on 17 shot attempts.
It is worth noting that Antetokounmpo didn’t exactly help himself in this one, as he failed to take even a single three-point attempt for the first time this season.
As we move toward the back half of the season, continuing to trust in his three-point shooting remains a must for Giannis to keep opposing defenses honest.
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The Bucks are back in action on Monday night when they’ll return home to host the Sacramento Kings for a 7pm CT tip-off.