The NBA Playoffs have resumed with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers closing out their opening-round series.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton each had double-doubles as the Bucks dumped the Magic, 118-104 to advance to the second round.
Antetokounmpo contributed 28 points and 17 rebounds for the Bucks, who took the last four games after dropping the opener. Middleton added 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and nailed a 3-pointer that put Milwaukee ahead, 74-53 early in the second half.
Bucks players Sterling Brown and Paul George elected to sit out the game, which was postponed three days by a league-wide boycott following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last weekend. Brown has a federal lawsuit pending against the city of Milwaukee alleging he was targeted because he was Black. He also alleges that his civil rights were violated in January 2018 when officers used a stun gun on him after a parking violation.
The Lakers also earned a Game 5 win as Anthony Davis and LeBron James combined for 79 points in a 131-122 triumph over the Trail Blazers.
Davis led the Los Angeles scoresheet with 43 points, while James delivered 36 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Davis had a personal 9-0 run to put Los Angeles up 123-112 after the Lakers wasted a 14-point, third-quarter lead.
with files from Associated Press