Philadelphia 76ers Overpower Milwaukee Bucks In Eastern Conference Showdown
Monday was ugly. Watching the team get run off the floor in Charlotte while Joel Embiid and Paul George sat on the bench is the kind of thing that makes Philadelphia sports radio absolutely unbearable for 24 hours. But the NBA is a league of short memories, and the 76ers made sure everyone forgot about that disaster quickly on Tuesday night.
In a game that felt like a collective exhale, the 76ers returned home and dismantled the Milwaukee Bucks, 139-122. Sure, there was no Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Bucks, but seeing the stars look like stars and a young player finally find his stroke? That’s exactly what the doctor ordered.
Joel Embiid and Paul George Turn Back the Clock
If you were worried about Joel Embiid’s longevity or whether he still had that terrifying, MVP-level gear, the first quarter was a beautiful reassurance. Myles Turner is a solid NBA center, but for years, he has been nothing more than a traffic cone when Embiid decides to go to work.
The big fella came out looking to prove a point, dropping 18 points in the first quarter alone. It wasn’t just the scoring; it was the physical dominance. He was grabbing his own misses like Moses Malone, bullying defenders in the paint, and showing a touch that we haven’t seen consistently in a while. At one point, Tyrese Maxey threw a lob to a soaring Embiid in transition, a play that made everyone in the arena gasp. If he’s moving like that, the rest of the Eastern Conference has a problem.
Then there was Paul George. We haven’t seen nearly enough “PG-13 takeover games” during his tenure, but there is something about seeing Doc Rivers that wakes him up. George finished with a team-high 32 points, and his third quarter was pure art.
When the Bucks tried to make a run, George responded with an absolute heater, burying three after three. It was the kind of two-man game Philly fans dreamed of when this roster was constructed. The Bucks tried to trap Embiid, he kicked it to George, and it was lights out. It was simple, lethal basketball.
Jared McCain Finally Joins the Party
It has been a rough initiation for Jared McCain. Between shooting slumps and struggling to find his rhythm in the rotation, it’s been a grind. But on Tuesday, the basket finally looked 10 feet wide.
McCain poured in 17 points off the bench, knocking down five three-pointers and looking like the sharpshooter the 76ers drafted him to be. You could feel the emotion in the building. When McCain drilled a transition three in the fourth quarter, rookie VJ Edgecombe screamed and ran right at him. That’s the good stuff. It wasn’t garbage time production; it was confident, fluid basketball.
Seeing McCain develop chemistry with Embiid and float to the right spots when the defense collapsed on George is a massive development for a bench unit that desperately needs a scoring punch.
A Total Team Effort For the 76ers
While the headlines belong to the stars, the supporting cast did their job. Maxey shook off a rough shooting start to finish with 22 points and 9 assists, constantly putting pressure on the rim. Edgecombe, fresh off his Rising Stars selection, filled up the stat sheet with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Even guys like Justin Edwards and Dominick Barlow gave solid minutes, with Edwards showing flashes of defensive potential that could earn him more playing time if he keeps it up.
What’s Next For Philadelphia?
Ultimately, this was the definition of a “get right” game. The 76ers didn’t just win; they looked cohesive doing it. They exploited a favorable matchup, got their stars going, and breathed some life into their young guys.
There are still questions to answer defensively, specifically at the point of attack, but when you score 139 points, and your stars dominate, you take the win, and you smile. The 76ers reminded everyone on Tuesday night that when the pieces click, they are a nightmare to deal with.
