Bucks, Antetokounmpo avenge earlier loss to 76ers

Giannis Antetokounmpo collected 36 points, 20 rebounds and six assists as the host Milwaukee Bucks avenged a Christmas Day loss to the Philadelphia 76ers with a 112-101 victory on Thursday. The reigning NBA MVP has recorded five consecutive games of at least 30 points, 16 rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, who improved to 17-2 since dropping a 121-109 decision to Philadelphia.

Antetokounmpo struggled mightily in that contest, shooting a season-worst 29.6 percent from the field (8 of 27) and misfiring on all seven 3-point attempts during his 18-point performance. Before Thursday's contest, Antetokounmpo selected Philadelphia's Joel Embiid as his first pick -- second overall -- in the NBA All-Star draft.

Embiid had difficulty finding his range later Thursday, making just 6 of 26 shots from the floor. He finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Tobias Harris recorded 25 points and Al Horford made five 3-pointers to finish with 15 points for the 76ers, who dropped all four contests on their road trip to fall to 9-19 away from home this season.

Milwaukee scored 14 straight points in a span of 2:16 to seize a 70-57 lead midway into the third quarter. Khris Middleton highlighted the surge with a pair of 3-pointers before Wesley Matthews capped the run by dancing around Embiid for a driving layup. Philadelphia chipped into its deficit in the fourth quarter with Harris and Embiid each draining a 3-pointer to bring the club within five. Middleton answered by converting a four-point play after he was fouled by Ben Simmons on a 3-point attempt, and Antetokounmpo made a driving layup and a 3-pointer to build the Bucks' lead back to double digits.

Antetokounmpo was able to draw two fouls on Embiid in less than 30 seconds to push the latter to the brink of an ejection. Before the game, the 76ers acquired guard Alec Burks and forward Glenn Robinson III from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for three second-round picks (2020 Dallas, 2021 Denver and 2022 Toronto).

In a separate deal, Philadelphia acquired the Los Angeles Lakers' 2020 second-round pick from the Orlando Magic for forward James Ennis III. 

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