Milwaukee Bucks
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL (WSAU) — The number one seed in the NBA playoffs will continue the series from behind.
In their first game of the coronavirus altered NBA playoffs, the one-seeded Milwaukee Bucks lost to the 8th-seeded Orlando Magic 122-110. The Magic were led by center Nikola Vucevic who scored a playoff career-high 35 points and 14 rebounds.
Stingy defense from the Magic frustrated the Bucks as they couldn’t find ways around the clogged lanes. The Magic held the Bucks to a 43% field goal percentage while also forcing 16 turnovers from Milwaukee.
Current league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to make 12 field goals and 3 buckets from behind the arc for a 31 point game. But the Magic kept other starters like Eric Bledsoe and Kris Middleton to under 15 points across 48 minutes of play.
Along with a strong defensive showing, the Magic shot 49% from the field and 39% from 3-point range. The Magic got out to a hot start, taking a 15-2 run to build an 18 point lead halfway through the second quarter.
While the Bucks jumped back in the 2nd half, no run was enough to overtake the Magic’s firm grip on the lead. Vucevic had 14 points in the third quarter, as the Magic carried a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter.
The Bucks trimmed the lead to six in the fourth, but the magic added two 3s and a hard dunk to push the lead back to 14. A couple final 5 minute three’s from Evan Fournier sealed the Game 1 win for the Magic.
The two teams return to action for Game 2 on Thursday at 5 p.m. Pregame coverage will begin at 4:30 p.m. on WRIG.
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