Bucks blow past Magic, Heat hold off Pacers

Giannis Antetokounmpo — in the running for a second straight NBA Most Valuable Player Award — scored 35 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as the Bucks edged ahead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series that saw them stunned by the Magic in game one.

Antetokounmpo was a model of efficiency in 30 minutes on the court, connecting on 12 of 14 shots from the field, including two of three from three-point range.

“It was a lot easier because we played defense,” said Antetokounmpo, who had two steals and a blocked shot. “Once we play defense, we’re able to run in transition and it makes the game easy.

“We could get early threes, we could get wide open threes, we could get driving lanes.”

Khris Middleton added 17 points for Milwaukee after he was limited to two in the Bucks’ game-two victory, and Brook Lopez chipped in 16.

The Bucks were already up 53-34 when Marvin Williams of the Bucks and Orlando’s James Ennis were ejected after a second-quarter scuffle that began when they tangled under the basket.

Ennis then shoved Williams, Williams pushed back and grabbed Ennis’s jersey before Ennis appeared to swing a fist in a bid to free himself.

The ejections were likely more costly to the already injury-depleted Magic, and the Bucks closed the half on a 25-9 scoring run.

Milwaukee led by as many as 34 in the third before the Magic trimmed the deficit to 12 with 7:22 remaining.

But after Terrence Ross drained a three to trim the margin to 104-92, the Bucks rebuilt the lead with two free throws from Antetokounmpo, a three pointer and a two-point jump shot from Lopez and a dunk from Antetokounmpo.

“We just had to keep playing defense,” Anteokounmpo said, “keep our composure on offense, keep moving the ball and making the right play.”

Elsewhere in the East, the Miami Heat pushed Indiana to the brink of elimination, withstanding a furious Pacers rally for a 124-115 victory.

– Heat take control –

Jimmy Butler scored 24 points for the Heat, Goran Dragic finished with 24, including five baskets from beyond the arc, and Bam Adebayo had 22 points and 11 rebounds as Miami took a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Miami outplayed the Pacers at both ends of the floor and their defense has been especially suffocating all series long.

They forced several turnovers down the stretch on Saturday to prevent Indiana from levelling the score.

The Heat led by 20 in the first half and by as many as 18 in the third quarter, but the Pacers pulled within two points twice in the final period.

But after the Pacers made it a one-basket game with four minutes remaining, the Heat closed with a 13-6 scoring run to clinch the victory.

Malcolm Brogdon finished with 34 points and 14 assists while Myles Turner tallied 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers who lost Victor Oladipo late in the game when he fouled out after scoring 20 points.