The Orlando Magic couldn't overcome a woeful first quarter and never caught up to the fired up Milwaukee Bucks, who posted a 111-96 victory Thursday in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
The best-of-seven series is now tied 1-1, with Game 3 set for Saturday at 1 p.m.
After winning Game 1, Orlando expected a more intense response from Milwaukee. The Bucks gave it to them, particularly on defense as the Magic struggled to gain any offensive traction early at ESPN Wide World of Sports' HP Field House.
But Milwaukee's aggressive play also led to 16 first-half fouls and 21 trips to the free-throw line for Orlando. The Magic converted 20 of those attempts _ a big reason their 21-point halftime deficit wasn't bigger.
Still, much of the first half felt rushed and clunky for the Magic offense. Orlando started 2 of 11 and wound up shooting just 12.5% and scoring 13 points in the first quarter. The mark rose to 24.4% by halftime as the Magic found themselves down 64-43. They 1-for-16 from the 3-point line in the half.
The Magic went scoreless over the final 2:59 of the first quarter and had a field-goal drought of 5:46 that stretched from the first quarter into the second.
The second half was better but the Magic couldn't quite overcome their first-half struggles.
Nikola Vucevic capped an 11-3 burst as Orlando pulled within 79-67 with 4:28 left in the third. The Bucks responded with a 12-3 run to push their lead back to 21 at 91-70 after a short hook shot by Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Magic crept within 14 early in the fourth quarter after a 3-pointer by Terrence Ross. It took nearly five more minutes to get closer, but Orlando did when Evan Fournier found James Ennis for a transition layup that made it 101-90 with 5:13 to play.
The Bucks missed a shot and committed two turnovers in a three-possession stretch before Markelle Fultz drained a 3 from the corner to make it 101-92, the closest the Magic had been since they trailed 21-13 late in the first quarter.
The Bucks scored on three of their next four possessions on a dunk by Antetokounmpo and two corner 3s by Brook Lopez to salt away the win.
Vucevic posted another solid offensive game with 32 points to lead the Magic, but his teammates struggled for much of the game.
At one point late in the third quarter, Vucevic had 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting but no other Magic player had more than two field goals.
Ross and Fournier each finished with 12 points, while Fultz had 11 and Augustin 10 for the Magic.
Antetokounmpo totaled 28 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Bucks. Lopez scored 20 and Pat Connaughton made five 3-pointers to finish with 15 points as he helped Milwaukee outscore Orlando 41-30 in bench points.
