Bucks vs. Magic: There’s no such thing as magic!

Dame pads the stat sheet with 30 points in Bucks victory

On a SEGABABA and the second game of a 4-game homestand, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to dismantle the Orlando Magic, 122-93. Damian Lillard’s 30 points was the main ingredient in the victory for the Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 26 points serving as the secondary ingredient. Paolo Banchero’s 22 points led the stat sheet for the Magic.

Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.

What Did We Learn?

For the second consecutive night, offensive efficiency was evident. As I mentioned in the Rapid Recap, it wasn’t so much from the 3-point arc, but rather the entirety of the floor. Given this was a SEGABABA against a tough Orlando team, it makes it that much more impressive. All in all, Milwaukee shot 62.5% from the floor. Compared to Orlando’s 34.7% from the floor, it’s easy to see how this was such a lopsided affair.

Three Observations

The Bucks shot just 12 3PA.

Now this is something that you don’t typically see. Postgame, Doc mentioned how the team didn’t even need the threes, mentioning how it was the lowest 3PA from anybody in the NBA this season. Despite that, the Bucks still poured in 122 points, highlighting again the effectiveness they had in scoring the basketball. Ingenuity plays a big role in teams finding ways to win in today’s NBA, and last night, the Bucks did exactly that.

Damian Lillard’s aggressiveness was on fully display.

It wasn’t an aggressiveness from the perimeter, but rather driving to the hoop. Lillard attempted just several 3PA on the night. However, he was still the team’s leading scorer with 30 points. He did so by making a number of impressive drives to the hoop, collecting baskets in a more difficult manner. He also wasn’t collecting fouls, either. He’d only attempt a single free throw. Postgame, Doc told us that if there’s one thing he badgers Dame about, it’s driving to the hoop. He was definitely pleased with the effort in that department.

The Bucks didn’t let Paolo Banchero inflict too much damage.

Following his return to the floor the other week in Orlando against Milwaukee where he scored 34 points, the Bucks were able to contain him in this one. Despite being the Magic’s leading scorer with 22 points on the night, it felt Banchero was never able to get in a consistent rhythm. Doc attributed to the Bucks attacking his dribble more as one of the standouts in limiting his capabilities. It was promising to see their gameplan rebound against Banchero considering what he was able to do the last time these teams met down in Orlando.

Bonus Bucks Bits

• We all know how Andre Jackson Jr. is sometimes too aggressive at times on the defensive end, but tonight, he committed a foul just 12 seconds into the game. Yikes.
• Speaking of Andre, he left the game right before halftime rolled around due to a right hip contusion. When asked about it postgame, Doc Rivers didn’t have an update.
• This was great to see:

• That 62.5% from the field? It was a season-high. It also marked the third-best shooting performance by a team in a game this season. It’s also tied for the eighth-best FG% in a game in franchise history, and it’s the first time Milwaukee has shot at least 60% from the field in a game since the 2021-22 season (.630; Nov. 26, 2021 vs. DEN).
• With 122 points in tonight’s win, the Bucks are now 13-1 this season when scoring 120+ points. Milwaukee has reached the 120-point mark in its last two games and four times overall this month, and the Bucks are averaging 116.0 points per game so far in January.
• Am I crazy or does it seem like the Magic are due for a rebrand? It feels like they are currently the team that’s gone the longest without rebranding.

Up Next

The Bucks are now off until Friday, which is when they’ll take on the Toronto Raptors at Fiserv Forum. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST. You can catch the action on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin or stream it on our Playback and YouTube channels.

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