© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
AJ Green, Bobby Portis Jr. shine in Milwaukee's comeback win over Philadelphia
With a couple of key pieces unavailable, two Milwaukee reserves stepped up to the plate and helped the Bucks prevail over the under-manned but hard-fighting Philadelphia Sixers, 114-105, on Thursday night.
AJ Green and Bobby Portis Jr. led Milwaukee’s bench mob as they sparked the Bucks’ fourth-quarter attack that enabled them to escape the win after trailing for a large part of the contest.
Timely production
Averaging just 4.3 points this season, Green finished with 14 points and five rebounds in an efficient 28 minutes of play that saw him shot 4-of-8 from the field. Portis scored eight points, four coming in a crucial stretch that allowed the Bucks to take control. AJ and Bobby teamed up in a 12-3 run that turned an 84-87 deficit into a 96-90 Milwaukee lead in the final 6:10.
“I think Bobby just stuck with it and let it come to him, and when he sees one go, he can put ‘em on the board pretty quick, and that’s what he did,” Green said. “I just tried to be patient, find space, and let it fly when I was open.”
Milwaukee’s punch off the bench
Green and Portis’ timely production was badly needed as the Bucks were without starters Malik Beasley (back spasms) and Khris Middleton (sprained ankle). MarJon Beauchamp (back spasms) was also out for the Bucks.
It was the fourth time that Green scored in double figures this season.
"Obviously, AJ is a sniper, and Bobby is our punch off the bench," Damian Lillard said. "I think when you got guys like that on the other end of that, AJ is going to shoot it, he's going to make it, and I think Bobby is going to do what he does as well – he's going to score the ball.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with a game-high 32 and 11 rebounds points, while Lillard added 17 points and nine assists.
The two Milwaukee superstars did produce, but coach Doc Rivers admitted they could not have overcome the Joel Embiid-less Sixers without the strong efforts of Green Portis.
“I probably was more proud of Bobby because I thought they sped Bobby up in the first half, got under his skin a little bit – and you know Bobby – and I thought he caught himself there in the second half and really helped us,” Rivers said. “And AJ was just terrific, spacing the floor. Once on a switch, we trapped, and his job after that was to deny Maxey, and he did a great job of doing that.”
