The Philadelphia 76ers remained undefeated Saturday night, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 127–116 despite playing without LeBron James.
Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with a triple-double of 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Jaylen Brown added 27 points, while Tyrese Maxey contributed 26.
Philadelphia also delivered its best perimeter shooting performance of the young season, making 19 three-pointers after combining for just 18 across its first two games.
The 76ers improved to 3–0, while Milwaukee dropped to 0–3.
First Quarter: Philadelphia Starts Hot
End of Q1: Philadelphia 34–25 Milwaukee
Dean Wade, returning from injury and starting in place of LeBron James, opened the scoring with a three-pointer off a Maxey assist.
VJ Edgecombe quickly established himself as another perimeter threat, knocking down consecutive threes off Embiid assists to extend Philadelphia’s advantage.
Brown contributed a turnaround fadeaway and free throws, while Milwaukee received scoring from Kyle Kuzma and Kel’el Ware.
The quarter ended with Maxey banking in a three-pointer with one second remaining following a Milwaukee turnover.
Philadelphia carried a nine-point advantage into the second quarter.
Second Quarter: Milwaukee Battles Back
Halftime: Philadelphia 64–60 Milwaukee
Milwaukee responded with a 35-point second quarter, using its interior scoring and rebounding advantage to pressure Philadelphia.
The Bucks eventually moved ahead 52–46 following a Jaime Jaquez Jr. hook shot and a Kuzma tip-in.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope helped spark Philadelphia’s response with a three-pointer, but Milwaukee maintained its advantage until the closing minutes.
With the Bucks leading 56–54, Embiid intercepted a Myles Turner pass, allowing Maxey to tie the game with a layup.
Turner committed another turnover on the following possession, and Jabari Walker converted a three-point play to put Philadelphia ahead.
Brown then connected on a late three-pointer, helping the 76ers enter halftime leading 64–60.
Third Quarter: Philadelphia Pulls Away
End of Q3: Philadelphia 97–87 Milwaukee
Milwaukee opened the second half aggressively, with Tyler Herro scoring on consecutive possessions to give the Bucks a 69–67 lead.
Jaquez later knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game at 72.
Philadelphia responded through its stars.
Maxey connected from beyond the arc, Brown attacked the midrange, and Embiid continued contributing as both a scorer and facilitator.
AJ Green briefly cut Philadelphia’s lead to 82–79, but Caldwell-Pope answered with a three-pointer to help the 76ers regain control.
Maxey later buried another three to extend the advantage to 91–81.
Brown added a steal and layup, while Maxey closed the quarter with a stepback jumper.
Philadelphia outscored Milwaukee 33–27, entering the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead.
Fourth Quarter: Philadelphia Closes It Out
Final: Philadelphia 127–116 Milwaukee
Anfernee Simons opened the quarter with a three-pointer off an Embiid assist, and Maxey followed with a driving layup to force a Milwaukee timeout.
Edgecombe added another three before Wade connected from beyond the arc with 8:30 remaining, extending Philadelphia’s lead to 108–92.
Milwaukee refused to go away.
Ware knocked down a three-pointer and later completed a three-point play, cutting Philadelphia’s advantage to six with approximately two minutes remaining.
However, the 76ers delivered when it mattered.
Brown connected on a three-pointer with 1:39 remaining, followed by another from Caldwell-Pope with 1:12 left.
Those two shots ended Milwaukee’s comeback hopes as Philadelphia secured its third consecutive victory.
EST Takeaways
1. Philadelphia’s Three-Point Shooting Improves Dramatically
Philadelphia made 19 of 44 three-pointers, shooting 43.2%.
That’s more made threes than its first two games combined, when the 76ers connected on just 18.
Edgecombe led the way with five triples, Maxey added four, and Brown contributed three.
This was Philadelphia’s most encouraging offensive development of the night. Improved perimeter shooting creates additional space for Embiid and gives the 76ers another way to punish opposing defenses.
2. Embiid Delivers a Triple-Double
Embiid finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.
His playmaking was particularly valuable, helping Philadelphia generate quality opportunities throughout the game.
Brown and Maxey combined for another 53 points, giving the 76ers 81 from their three leading scorers.
3. Philadelphia Wins Without LeBron James
LeBron missed the contest due to lower-back and sciatica management, but Philadelphia still scored 127 points.
The victory demonstrated the team’s offensive depth and ability to win without one of its most important players.
At 3–0, the 76ers have plenty to be encouraged about.
4. Dean Wade Provides a Solid Return
Wade stepped into the starting lineup following his injury absence and delivered seven points, two rebounds, and two made three-pointers in approximately 28 minutes.
His ability to stretch the floor gave Philadelphia another useful perimeter option.
It was a positive return for Wade in an expanded role.
5. Philadelphia Wins the Turnover Battle
This was arguably the biggest difference between the teams.
Philadelphia committed just 11 turnovers compared with Milwaukee’s 23.
The 76ers also recorded 15 steals and outscored the Bucks 28–11 in points off turnovers.
That 17-point advantage proved decisive in an 11-point victory.
Philadelphia also recorded 26 assists, showing strong ball movement alongside its improved shooting.
6. Milwaukee’s Interior Dominance Isn’t Enough
The Bucks controlled the glass 69–50 and dominated points in the paint 58–26.
Milwaukee also shot 47% from the field compared with Philadelphia’s 41%.
However, the Bucks couldn’t overcome their turnovers and Philadelphia’s perimeter shooting.
Ware finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Jaquez added 21 points. Myles Turner struggled offensively, finishing scoreless on four attempts.
Milwaukee’s interior production was impressive, but its execution must improve.
Final Thoughts
Philadelphia didn’t need another dramatic comeback to secure its third victory.
Embiid delivered a triple-double, the 76ers found their shooting touch, and their defense created 23 Milwaukee turnovers.
Even without LeBron James, Philadelphia demonstrated its depth and ability to close out a competitive game.
For Milwaukee, the rebounding advantage wasn’t enough to overcome its mistakes.
The 76ers are 3–0, and their offense is beginning to find its rhythm.
Ethical Sports Takes | NBA Coverage
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