Giannis, Dame Power Bucks to Win over 76ers
In what was yet another fantastic win for the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokoumpo and Damian Lillard led their squad (37-21) to a win over the five-seed Philadelphia 76ers (33-24) by a score of 119-98.
The win could be signs of the Bucks finally gelling with Doc Rivers’ system, as they have now won two in a row, with both wins coming against competitive teams. Since the 76ers were missing star player Joel Embiid in the matchup, the 76ers had no offensive or defensive counter for Giannis or Dame, with Giannis shooting 58.8% from the field (going 1-2 from three), and Dame shooting 53.3% from the field (going 50% from three with four makes and eight attempts), according to Pro Basketball Reference.
With the win, the Bucks have an opportunity to generate a small winning streak and a run at the two-seed in the East, as the win over the 76ers puts them only one game behind the Cavaliers. Seeing as the Bucks’ next three games include two games against the Charlotte Hornets and one game against the Chicago Bulls (teams in the lower half of the Eastern standing, according to ESPN), there is a very real possibility that the Bucks could gain some momentum in late February/early March.