5 things learned from Bucks-Magic Game 4

Giannis stays Giannis

Giannis Antetokounmpo showed once again why he is likely the 2020 NBA MVP. He attacked the basket all game and made things difficult for Orlando on the defensive end. Antetokounmpo also shared the ball very well, finishing with eight assists which is the most he has recorded during the playoffs this year. His 3-point shooting wasn’t quite as efficient as it had been in previous games, but he is clearly more comfortable pulling up from deep than he was last playoffs. In the end, Giannis had 31 points on 14-of-21 shooting and 15 rebounds.

Khris Middleton played even better in Game 4

Middleton looked a bit out of sorts through three quarters but turned it on in the final 12 minutes. He scored 21 points for the Bucks and had 18 of those points in the fourth quarter of Milwaukee’s 121-106 Game 4 win over Orlando. Middleton went 4-of-7 from deep and hit big 3-pointers later in the game. With all the talent still in the bubble, the Bucks will need those types of performances from him if they want to keep winning.

The Magic aren’t going to give up

Through four games, it is clear the Bucks are the better team in this matchup. They should be able to win Wednesday and move on to the next round, but they can’t just expect Orlando to roll over for a quick five-game series. The Magic have shown the ability to claw back into games when they have been trailing by a large margin this series. Remember, Orlando had a lead in the third quarter and was only behind by three points entering the fourth quarter.

Nikola Vucevic is still a problem

Orlando’s best player has been a tough matchup for the Bucks. Vucevic scored 30 or more points in three of the four playoff games, including 31 points on 11-of-20 shooting with 11 rebounds and seven assists in Game 4. He is skilled in the post and can also connect from long range, hitting 6-of-10 3-pointers in the loss.

Budenholzer is sticking with his rotation

Four games in and head coach Mike Budenholzer has barely altered who he is putting on the court. The starting five, of course, remains intact. Meanwhile, guards Pat Connaughton, George Hill and Kyle Korver are getting the brunt of the bench minutes as the Bucks are playing with a smaller lineup, with Donte DiVincenzo largely remaining the odd man out in the guard rotation. Marvin Williams continues to get the most playing time out of the forwards off the bench. Robin Lopez didn’t play in Game 4 with Ersan Ilyasova getting his brief playing time (seven minutes).