Milwaukee Bucks Can't Hang in Second Half in Loss to Orlando Magic

The team saw its three-game win streak snapped.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. brings the ball up court during the first quarter against the Orlando Magic. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks are coming up short in their first matchup of a two-game series in the Kia Center, losing 118-99 to the Orlando Magic.

The Bucks played well in the first half, even taking a lead into the locker room against the Magic, but things did not fall the same way in the final two quarters. The Bucks were blitzed coming out of the break and they fell behind by double digits after surrendering 36 points in the third quarter.

The Bucks were defending the perimeter well, but it all started to fall apart once the Magic started hitting shots from downtown.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins handles the ball in front of Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Bucks Fall Short vs. Magic

Bucks were led by Kevin Porter Jr., who scored 28 points and dished out seven assists. He made 10 of his 19 shots from the field. AJ Green pitched in with 15 points of his own, while Ryan Rollins had 14. Miles Turner had 13 and had five blocks off the defensive end.

Bobby Portis joined his Bucks starters with double-figure scoring, posting 10 points in what was an overall poor shooting performance for the team. The Bucks also committed 19 turnovers, which is a very hard way to win basketball games.

The Magic had strong performances from Anthony Black who scored a team-high 26 points. Starting shooting guard Desmond Bane also played well with 25 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting from the field. Moe and Franz Wagner each had 14 points off the bench, while former No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero had 11 points and nine rebounds on a quiet night for him.

The loss snaps a three-game losing streak for the Bucks, who picked up wins against the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, and Indiana Pacers at home. The Bucks learned the hard way that things are a bit different on the road and the Magic defense stifled them throughout the game, especially in the second half.

Considering the fact the Bulls and Charlotte Hornets each lost tonight, the Bucks don't lose any ground in the Eastern Conference standings. They still sit 2.5 games back of the number 10 seed, which is the final spot in the play-in tournament.

The Bucks will have another shot to face off against the Magic. Tip-off is scheduled for Wednesday at 7pm ET inside the Kia Center. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.