In the 2024-2025 season debut, the Milwaukee Bucks started their season with a 1-0 start, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 124-109.

NBA.com Box Score

Being the first game of the regular season, there was some noticeable rust for the Bucks going into this game. Milwaukee would go a chilly 1 of 7 from the perimeter in the opening quarter. Philadelphia wasn’t much better in that department, though, shooting just 2-of-7. A Tyrese Maxey buzzer-beater layup gave the Sixers a 23-22 lead after one.

The OG members of the Bench Mob brought it in the second quarter. Led by Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton, Milwaukee catapulted itself back in front early in the second quarter. Portis came off the bench and set things on fire, pouring in 13 points in the first half, while Connaughton scored seven. After two quarters ended, the Bucks held a 54-44 lead in the second half.

The momentum continued into the third quarter for the Bucks. After a terrible shooting performance from the perimeter in the first quarter, Milwaukee closed in. Fueled by Damian Lillard, three after three continued to descend. Through three quarters, Dame’s 29 points served as a team-high and was the leading force in the Bucks reaching the century mark for several quarters. Heading into the fourth, they had a 100-81 lead.

From that moment on, there was no real danger of the Bucks coughing up their lead. Sure, Philadelphia didn’t feature Joel Embiid or Paul George, but Milwaukee was able to get the job done. When the outs hit the clock, the Bucks closed things out with a 124-109 win.

Statistic that stood out

All offseason, Damian Lillard made it clear how good he was feeling. Looking back on last year, he faced a lot of distractions, especially being on the trade block. That whole ordeal threw a golf ball in the direction of his training. A year later, he was able to get through last summer with consistency and continuity. Tonight it paid off. Dame was in an absolute zone, finishing his performance with a game-high 30 points. That was exactly the kind of performance he and the Bucks fans wanted to see to start the campaign.

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