Bucks 97, Magic 91
Khris Middleton matched his career high with 30 points and added five assists as Milwaukee outlasted visiting Orlando.
Zaza Pachulia contributed 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for the Bucks, who won for only the third time in 10 contests and improved to 19-12 at home. Ersan Ilyasova recorded 12 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 11 while Michael Carter-Williams scored 11 to go along with nine rebounds and six assists for Milwaukee.
Nikola Vucevic led the way with 19 points and 14 rebounds while Tobias Harris scored 17 for the Magic, who lost their ninth straight road game. Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton each chipped in with 14 points and Channing Frye added 13 off the bench for Orlando, which forced 23 turnovers.
The Magic rallied from five down to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but Middleton drained a corner 3-pointer for a 91-89 lead with 3:12 left. Harris tied it with a basket before Carter-Williams made two free throws with 1:19 to go, the Bucks made a stop and Pachulia fed Antetokounmpo for a dunk with 19.9 seconds left for a 95-91 lead and they held on.
Orlando made 6-of-9 from behind the 3-point arc in the first half, including one by Harris in the final minute as it took a 57-54 lead at intermission. Vucevic’s basket gave the Magic a 70-60 lead with 5:20 left in the third quarter before Ilyasova’s 3-pointer ignited a 12-2 burst as the teams went to the fourth deadlocked at 72.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Middleton, who was 4-of-4 from 3-point range, is averaging 21.5 points over the last six games -- including two 30-point performances. … Milwaukee G O.J. Mayo, who had missed six of the previous seven games with a hamstring injury, returned to the lineup and scored four points off the bench. … Orlando was without G Evan Fournier (hip) and G Willie Green (back spasms).