MVP candidates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid battled it out, but the latter won the matchup as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Milwaukee Bucks
The biggest storyline leading up to this matchup was the MVP candidates set to hit the floor with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid set to square off. Both have led their respective teams to reputable records in the Eastern Conference this season, and winning this game could boost their individual stock in the current MVP race across the league. Unfortunately, Embiid and the 76ers got the better of Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
That is not to say Antetokounmpo played badly, as he nearly tallied a triple-double with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Offensively, it was an efficient shooting night as the Greek Freak hit 13-of-23 from the floor, including 2-of-4 from deep to keep this one competitive throughout. Nine assists is also a welcoming number, but had some of his teammates knocked down the wide-open looks they had gotten courtesy of Antetokounmpo, that number may have legitimately doubled. It was a solid night defensively for Antetokounmpo as well, as he snatched three steals and blocked a single shot, but it was not enough to get the win.
On the other side, Embiid had another quality performance in what has been a tremendous season for him. The big man put up 42 points on 14-of-21 shooting, including 3-of-4 from deep. It did not matter how many bodies the Bucks put on Embiid, he just continued to find a way to score the ball again and again from start to finish. The Bucks undoubtedly missed Brook Lopez in this one, as the former All-Defensive honoree could have been useful in slowing Embiid down. Along with his huge scoring numbers, Embiid tallied 14 rebounds, five assists, and a steal to secure the win. This game might have put Embiid atop the current MVP race if he was not already there.
Although it is a sour way to enter the All-Star break, the Bucks will finally get some much-needed time off to allow them to recover following this game. Hopefully Milwaukee can get back some of their regular rotation players the next time they take the court.
The Bucks will be back in action next when they take on the Brooklyn Nets Saturday, February 26 at 7:30 p.m. CST. Be sure to catch the action on ABC.