For the second consecutive game, the Milwaukee Bucks squared off against the Orlando Magic, and both contests shared some parallels.
Each featured the Bucks building up a double-digit lead early, only for the Magic to rally back and make the game much closer than it needed to be. Yet, just like the last game, the Bucks held off a valiant comeback effort from their opponent to win the matchup. This time around, the final was a 136-118 victory to make it 11-straight against Orlando, sweeping the regular season series in the process. With another victory in the books, let us take a closer look at three takeaways from it.
Donte DiVincenzo delivered a mixed-bag performance with a near double-double for the Milwaukee Bucks in the win over Orlando Magic
After a lengthy rehabilitation process and a quick pit stop in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, Donte DiVincenzo appeared in his third game of the 2021-22 season last night. The guard has had his share of struggles trying to get reintegrated into the lineup, and understandably so, coming off everything he has been through over the past few months. Yet, while it is a small sample size, his best all-around performance of the season came in last night’s game versus the Magic.
Scoring-wise, it was a tough shooting night for DiVincenzo as he went just 2-of-8 from the floor. Both of his makes came from behind the arc as he buried two triples in three attempts, showing off his confidence from long-range, particularly with one pull-up 3-pointer in transition during the second half of action. Though he had the 3-ball going, DiVincenzo struggled to score inside, which is something that has plagued him since coming into the league. Indeed, DiVincenzo missed quite a few layups in this one, which proved troublesome throughout. Yet, his aggressiveness inside the arc earned him six free throw attempts on the night, and he sunk five of them. Shooting it well on 3-pointers and free throws, DiVincenzo finished with a season-high 11 points off the bench.
In addition to his 11 points, the guard pulled down nine rebounds to fall just short of notching his first double-double of the season. The 6-foot-4’s impeccable knack for rebounding the basketball has been among his strongest attributes at the professional level, and it was on full display for the Bucks last night. Interestingly, four of DiVincenzo’s nine boards came on the offensive end, giving the Bucks a handful of second-chance opportunities. DiVincenzo’s immense hustle is something that he has shown whenever he steps out on the floor, and even if his shot is not falling, he will look to contribute by crashing the glass on every play.
With 11 points and nine rebounds in 18-and-a-half minutes played, last night’s performance was a solid one for DiVincenzo in his third game back. Although there is still work to do offensively, the 23-year-old is trending in the right direction.