Intensity picks up as Bucks defeat Magic 121-107 in Game 3

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 35 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Orlando Magic 121-107 on Saturday for a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series.

Antetokounmpo went 12 of 14 as the top-seeded Bucks shot 56.1% from the floor. Khris Middleton had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is Monday.

Game 3 included a second-quarter scuffle between Orlando forward James Ennis and Milwaukee forward Marvin Williams, who were both ejected after exchanging shoves. The incident occurred as both players were heading back up the floor after battling for rebounding position.

Ennis had been in the starting lineup for Orlando, which already was playing without forwards Jonathan Isaac and Aaron Gordon, guard Michael Carter-Williams and center Mo Bamba due to a variety of injuries and illnesses. Williams is part of the Bucks’ strong group of reserves.

D.J. Augustin scored 24 points for Orlando. Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross added 20 points each.

The skirmish between Ennis and Williams took place during a 13-0 run in which Milwaukee took control of the game.

Milwaukee had a 45-34 lead before holding Orlando scoreless for a stretch of nearly five minutes. The Bucks had a 24-point edge by the time Vucevic ended the Orlando drought with 3:20 left before halftime.

The Bucks led 70-43 at the break and were up by as many as 34 in the third quarter.

Orlando cut the lead to 104-92 on a Terrence Ross 3-pointer with 7:22 left, but the Bucks answered with nine straight points. Antetokounmpo capped the spurt by driving into the lane for a thunderous one-handed dunk.

Milwaukee benefited from Middleton’s resurgence.

The All-Star forward shot 5 of 20 in the first two games of this series and scored just two points during Milwaukee’s 111-96 victory Thursday. Middleton shot 7 of 17 on Saturday.

Brook Lopez had 16 points and Eric Bledsoe added 14 for the Bucks.

Milwaukee also did a better job of guarding Vucevic, who scored 35 points in Orlando’s 122-110 Game 1 victory and 32 more in Game 2.

Vucevic shot just 8 of 19 on Saturday. The Magic center had shot 59.6% over the first two games of this series.

TIP-INS

Bucks: After getting outrebounded 48-47 in a Game 1 loss, the Bucks have dominated the glass. Milwaukee outrebounded Orlando 57-42 in Game 2 and 44-35 on Saturday.

Magic: Orlando is holding out hope Gordon could play later in the series as he recovers from a strained left hamstring. “He’s doing a lot better,” Magic coach Steve Clifford said. “He just wouldn’t be able to get up and down the floor, frankly. He’s made good progress. He’ll do his work today and tomorrow, and then we’re hoping maybe there’s a chance by Monday.” Clifford said Gordon is closer to a return than Carter-Williams, who has a strained left tendon in his left foot and also hasn’t played in this series.