Bucks 123, Magic 92: Bucks score a lot more points than the Magic

There was no comeback this time around.

The Magic took on the Bucks in Milwaukee for the second straight game. In Saturday’s game, Orlando fell behind by 29 points before making it a two-possession game in the fourth quarter. In Monday’s game, Orlando fell behind by 29 points before watching the deficit nearly double.

The Magic trailed by as many as 51 points in what was a lethargic performance and dismal 123-92 loss to the defending champs.

It was the final game of a five-game road trip for the Magic. They were without their leading scorer Cole Anthony for a second straight game (replaced in the starting lineup by Mychal Mulder). And the Magic played like a team that seemed to know they had no chance of winning, despite their late rally a few days prior.

It got ugly quickly as Jalen Suggs picked up two early fouls and the Magic were held to two points over a seven-minute stretch in the first. That led to to a 16-0 Bucks run that put the Magic down 22-6. Orlando trailed by as many as 25 in the first following a three by Khris Middleton that pushed the lead to 34-9 Milwaukee with 1:07 left in the quarter.

R.J. Hampton, coming off a career-high matching 19 points on Saturday, had seven points in the first on 3-for-4 shooting. His Magic teammates, however, shot just 4-for-17 for a combined 33.3 percent, while also committing six turnovers. The Bucks led 36-16 after one.

The turnovers continued to pile up for the Magic and the lead continued to expand for the Bucks, reaching 44 points in the second quarter.

The Bucks turned 13 Orlando turnovers in the first half into 21 points. Milwaukee not only shot over 60 percent from the field in the first half, but also outscored the Magic 15-0 in second-chance points. That led to season-highs for the Bucks in points scored in a quarter (41 in the second) and in a half (77-36 lead at the break).

The lead cracked the half-century mark when Pat Connaughton hit a three for a 99-88 lead with 4:04 left in the third. The Bucks took a 105-56 lead into an irrelevant fourth quarter.

Jrue Holiday had 18 points in 23 minutes to lead a Bucks team that had seven players in double figures. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 12 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in 24 minutes.

Moe Wagner’s 18 points led the Magic, which shot 36.6 percent in the game. Hampton finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists. The lone Orlando starter to finish in double figures was Mulder, who had 13 points. Franz Wagner was held scoreless for the first time this season, going 0-for-9 from the field.

The Magic dropped four of their five games on the road trip. They return home on Wednesday to host the Charlotte Hornets.