The Milwaukee Bucks (44-7 ) made a statement at home, with a convincing 112-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers (31-21), avenging their Christmas Day defeat.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was nothing short of unstoppable, leading the Bucks to their 29th double-digit win of the season, the most of any team this season.
For the 76ers, that makes it four-straight losses as they close out their four-game road trip without a win, following losses to the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
Here are the key takeaways from today's game:
Giannis dominates wire-to-wire
Fresh off drafting #TeamGiannis ahead of next week's showcase, Antetokounmpo looked every bit the All-Star, pouring in 36 points, a season-high 20 rebounds, and six assists on 13-of-25 from the field and 1-of-7 from three.
The 76ers defence encouraged Antetokounmpo to shoot jumpers, as he air-balled a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter. But it mattered for little as the reigning MVP battered his way into the paint at will, going straight at Joel Embiid with a variety of moves, showing off his footwork and tenacity.
He capped off his monster game with this huge putback jam in the fourth quarter, letting out his trademark mean mug as the Bucks made it 12 wins from their past 13 games.
Giannis DID THAT 💥 pic.twitter.com/NV036GQAdN
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 7, 2020
"I gotta keep making plays, I gotta stay aggressive," Antetokounmpo said of his mindset against the 76ers. "That's what I get paid to do, that's what my teammates want me to do, that's what I'm going to do all night.
"It doesn't really matter if I make shots, I can still make plays for my teammates, so that's the mindset that I have."
Today marked his first-ever 35-20 game and was his fifth-straight game with 30+ points, 15+ rebounds, 5+ assists and the 11th of the season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo now has his 5th consecutive game with at least 30 pts, 15 reb, 5 ast — tying Wilt Chamberlain for the longest such streak in NBA history.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 7, 2020
It's also his 11th such game this season, the rest of the NBA has combined for 10 such games.
(h/t @EliasSports) pic.twitter.com/6JBbxMlHXG
Khris Middleton scored eight of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, while Eric Bledsoe added 14 points, eight boards and six assists.
Embiid struggles to fire
Ahead of today's matchup, Embiid questioned the 76ers' lack of offensive identity, saying they needed to sacrifice more, but the big man struggled to get his team going on the road.
He was ice cold in the first half, going 1-of-10 from the field, finishing with 19 points on 6-of-26 shooting and 3-of-10 from the three-point line as Antetokunmpo and Brook Lopez made life tough for him in the paint, blocking shots and forcing him out to the perimeter.
Embiid is playing just his fifth game since returning from a torn ligament in his left ring finger and still looks like he'll need time to get back into form, but the 76ers can ill-afford too many games like this from the big man.
Tobias Harris led the 76ers with 25 points, while Al Horford added 15 and Ben Simmons finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, and two steals.
Harris and Horford kept the 76ers in the game as they found their rhythm from three, both knocking down five triples apiece. The 76ers knocked down 19-of-45 as a team.
76ers road woes continue
Following today's loss, the 76ers have lost five-straight games away from Wells Fargo Center and 11 of their past 13.
They are now 9-19 on the road this season, compared to their 22-2 home record.
What's next?
The 76ers will look to get back on track as they return to Philly for a four-game homestand, with the up-and-coming Memphis Grizzlies up first on Saturday, while the Bucks will look to make it four wins in a row, when they visit the Orlando Magic on Sunday.
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