The Milwaukee Bucks held the Orlando Magic to three first-quarter field goals en route to a double-digit lead, then rode Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 28 points and game-high 20 rebounds to a 111-96 victory Thursday night near Orlando to even their best-of-seven playoff series at one game apiece.
Nikola Vucevic went for a game-high 32 points, but no other member of the Magic topped 12 as Milwaukee avenged a poor defensive effort in a 122-110 loss in Game 1 on Tuesday.
Brook Lopez chipped in with 20 points, while Pat Connaughton added 15, Eric Bledsoe had 13 to complement a game-high seven assists and Donte DiVincenzo 11 for the Bucks, who outshot the Magic 47.2 percent to 34.8 percent.
Miami Heat 109 – Indiana Pacers 100
Duncan Robinson tied a franchise postseason record with seven 3-pointers in just his second career playoff game, helping Miami take a 2-0 lead in its first-round Eastern Conference series against Indiana.
Robinson finished with a game-high 24 points, Goran Dragic added 20 and Jimmy Butler had 18 in a balanced attack that allowed the fifth-seeded Heat to successfully follow up on their 113-101 triumph in the series opener. The Heat never trailed in the second half.
Victor Oladipo, playing two days after suffering an eye injury that required brief hospitalization, led the fourth-seeded Pacers with 22 points. Myles Turner and Malcom Brogdon added 17 apiece.
Houston Rockets 111 – Oklahoma City Thunder 98
James Harden had 21 points and nine assists to power Houston past Oklahoma City for a 2-0 series lead in their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Houston, which hit 19 3-pointers and had seven players in double figure, scored 17 straight points in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter to win again without Russell Westbrook.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 31 points. Chris Paul shot just 6 of 15 from the floor and scored 14 points.
–Field Level Media
