Philadelphia 76ers 127, Milwaukee Bucks 116 — Joel Embiid dominated the paint with 35 points and 13 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers pulled away from the Milwaukee Bucks for a 127-116 win at Wells Fargo Center on October 25, 2026. The 76ers used a explosive second quarter to build a double-digit halftime lead and then held off every Milwaukee run in the second half.

Game overview

Philadelphia led by 10 at halftime after a 35-point second quarter and stretched the margin to as many as 16 in the third. Milwaukee cut the deficit to seven early in the fourth behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s relentless drives, but the 76ers answered with a 9-2 run and never let the Bucks get closer than eight the rest of the way.

• Q1: 76ers 32-29
• Q2: 76ers 35-28
• Q3: Bucks 31-30
• Q4: 76ers 30-28
• Final: 76ers 127, Bucks 116

Key moments

The decisive stretch came late in the third quarter. With Milwaukee threatening to make it a single-digit game, Tyrese Maxey hit back-to-back threes in transition, pushing the lead back to 14. Embiid then drew a foul on Antetokounmpo and converted both free throws, and Philadelphia’s bench closed the quarter with a defensive stop.

Milwaukee’s best run came midway through the fourth. Damian Lillard hit a deep three and Antetokounmpo converted a three-point play to cut the lead to seven, but the Bucks could not get the defensive rebound on the next possession. Maxey turned that extra chance into a floater, and Paul George followed with a corner three to restore control.

Tactical story

Philadelphia’s game plan was clear: attack the paint through Embiid and punish Milwaukee when it doubled. The 76ers generated open threes off Embiid’s post touches and used Maxey’s speed to push the pace after misses. Philadelphia also did a good job of keeping Antetokounmpo out of transition, building a wall at the rim and forcing him to score over multiple defenders.

Milwaukee countered with pick-and-roll actions involving Lillard and Antetokounmpo, and the Bucks found success when they got downhill. But their half-court offense became stagnant for stretches, and they settled for contested threes. Milwaukee also struggled to contain Embiid without fouling, putting Philadelphia in the bonus early in both halves.

Standout players

Embiid’s 35 points and 13 rebounds were the foundation of the win. He shot 12-of-19 from the field and controlled the defensive glass. Maxey added 29 points and eight assists, while George contributed 20 points and solid perimeter defense. Philadelphia’s role players hit enough open shots to make Milwaukee pay for its help defense.

Antetokounmpo finished with 32 points and 12 rebounds, and Lillard added 27 points and seven assists. The Bucks also got 14 points from their bench, but they were outscored in second-chance points and could not string together enough stops in the fourth quarter.

What it means

The victory is a statement for Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference race. Beating a Milwaukee team with championship aspirations early in the season builds confidence and gives the 76ers a valuable head-to-head result. For the Bucks, the loss highlights the need for better late-game execution and more consistent defensive rebounding.

Philadelphia’s star trio looked cohesive, and Embiid’s dominance remains the team’s anchor. If the 76ers can continue to get this kind of balance around him, they will be a difficult matchup all season.