National Basketball Association
Milwaukee 127, Orlando 110
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Officials: #9 Natalie Sago, #33 Sean Corbin, #12 CJ Washington
Attendance: 16696

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 28 points, Khris Middleton added 21 and the visiting Milwaukee Bucks continued their mastery of the Orlando Magic with a 127-110 victory on Tuesday night.

Bobby Portis hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points for Milwaukee, which has won 10 straight games against Orlando as well as 19 of the last 23 regular-season meetings. Jrue Holiday finished with 18 points (12 in the second half) and 10 assists, while Pat Connaughton had 10 points off the bench.

The defending NBA champions won their fourth in a row overall and are 10 games above .500 for the first time this season.

Orlando, which dropped to 2-12 at home, has lost three straight games since posting back-to-back wins for the first time this year.

Franz Wagner scored a career-high 38 points, 10 more than his previous best and his 17th straight game in double figures tied him for the second-longest streak by a Magic rookie. Stanley Roberts (1992) and Jameer Nelson (2005) also had 17-game streaks, while Shaquille O'Neal holds the record of 54 set during the 1992-93 season.

Five different Bucks combined for eight triples during a 31-8 first-half run, giving Milwaukee a 49-26 lead. Milwaukee blitzed the Magic with a 40-point second quarter for a 72-45 halftime advantage.

The Bucks, who entered the game shooting 35.7 percent from 3-point range, went 13-for-24 from beyond the arc in the opening half. Portis made all five of his long-range attempts, while the Bucks had 19 assists on their 26 baskets.

Milwaukee finished the game 17-for-37 from deep; Orlando was 12-for-39.

A 19-0 run pulled the Magic within 76-66 in the third quarter, but Milwaukee regrouped to take a 97-82 lead into the final period.

Orlando trailed 115-106 with three minutes remaining, but the Bucks closed the game on a 12-4 run.

Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 19 points, 10 rebounds and three steals for Orlando. Gary Harris chipped in with 13 points.

Magic second-year guard Cole Anthony (right ankle sprain) missed his 11th game this season due to injury. Rookie Jalen Suggs has also been sidelined for Orlando's past 13 games with a fractured right thumb.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Milwaukee   Orlando
Giannis Antetokounmpo 28 Scoring Franz Wagner 38
Jrue Holiday 10 Assists Hassani Gravett 4
Bobby Portis 7 Rebounds Wendell Carter Jr. 10
Giannis Antetokounmpo 7 Free Throws Made Franz Wagner 10
Donte DiVincenzo 1 Steals Wendell Carter Jr. 3
Giannis Antetokounmpo 1 Blocks R.J. Hampton 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Milwaukee 127 55.3 17-37 16-22 31 40 3 4 13
Orlando 110 45.8 12-39 22-26 24 37 4 7 13
Upcoming Games
  • Orlando will play their next game at home against Milwaukee. The Magic have a W/L % of .125 after a win and .222 after a loss.
  • Milwaukee will play their next game on the road against Orlando. The Bucks have a W/L % of .636 after a win and .643 after a loss.