Bucks Escape Philly With Upset Win as Over Cashes in 243-Point Shootout

The Bucks had every excuse to mail it in on the second night of a back-to-back in Philadelphia, but someone forgot to tell them this was supposed to be a grind-it-out defensive slog. Milwaukee stormed into Wells Fargo Center and dropped 116 on the Sixers, who answered with 127 of their own in a track meet that obliterated the 232.5 total we backed.

So much for tired legs killing offensive efficiency. The Bucks' supposed fatigue factor turned into a complete non-issue as both teams combined for 243 points—more than ten buckets over the number. Philadelphia's early-season shooting woes evaporated in a hurry, and Milwaukee's defense continued its alarming trend of getting torched, allowing 127 despite the back-to-back grind.

The 76ers got the home win, but the real story is how badly we misread the pace and shooting variance. Small sample theater strikes again—Philly's 26.5% three-point shooting through two games clearly wasn't sustainable, and Milwaukee's fatigue was either overblown or simply overwhelmed by two offenses that decided to play volleyball. Sometimes the numbers lie, and tonight they lied loud. This one stings, but that's why they play the games. Onto the next card.