Photo via Twitter / @FSWisconsin
The Milwaukee Bucks have proven to be nothing short of hit-or-miss in their first round series with the Orlando Magic. While Saturday’s commanding game three win felt like the team was firing on all cylinders, the reminders of the Magic’s surprising game one win loomed throughout game four on Monday afternoon. Fortunately, it felt like the Bucks could kick things into a higher gear when it was needed, propelling them to a 3-1 lead in the series, and a 121-106 victory.
From a purely statistical perspective, many of the same storylines of the opening round series remained constant on Monday. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee with 31 points and 15 rebounds, and also went just two assists shy of a triple-double. For Orlando, center Nikola Vucevic once again led the team in scoring, with yet another 30-plus point outing anchored by his six three-pointers. It was a late burst of offense from Khris Middleton, who had been uncharacteristically cold from the field throughout the series to this point, that helped put Milwaukee over the edge when they needed it. Middleton scored 18 of his 21 points within the last quarter.
While Giannis’ intensity and Middleton’s lack of offensive production have grabbed much of the storylines of this series, it was the role-players for the Bucks that held things down for the majority of the game on Monday. Center Brook Lopez chimed in with ten points, and Kyle Korver came off the bench for ten as well, with a pair of clutch three pointers in the second half that helped Milwaukee regain their momentum after a somewhat shaky start. By no means did things feel as dire as they did at halftime of game one, but a similar feel was definitely present in Orlando at halftime.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
In the end, it was largely a team effort that helped put the Magic away for the third straight game, with a chance to finish the series now available on Wednesday afternoon. The Bucks will face off with the Magic in game five on Wednesday at 3 p.m., with coverage on NBA TV and Fox Sports Wisconsin.
