PHILADELPHIA — Khris Middleton scored 36 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had a critical block as the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 109-108 in overtime on Sunday night, breaking a three-game losing streak and sending the Sixers to their 70th loss of the season.
Middleton, back after missing the previous three games with a strained left thigh, nailed 14 of 24 shots. His point total equaled a season high for a Milwaukee player.
John Henson added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, who have won nine straight over Philadelphia. Jabari Parker scored 15 points, and Antetokounmpo had 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and five blocks.
Milwaukee, already without four injured players, rested center Greg Monroe.
Ish Smith had 22 points to lead the Sixers, who fell to 10-70 by dropping their final home game. They are the sixth team in NBA history to lose at least 70 games in a season.
Jerami Grant had 21 points for Philadelphia, and Nerlens Noel had 18 points and 13 rebounds.
A basket by Antetokounmpo with 29.5 seconds left in regulation — a layup goal-tended by Noel — forged a 98-98 tie. Neither team scored again in regulation, and after Parker answered Smith’s layup with a dunk in overtime, Middleton was fouled by Smith with 3:10 left. He made both foul shots to put Milwaukee ahead to stay, 102-100.
The Bucks eventually extended their lead to 109-102 on Parker’s 3-pointer with 1:34 left, but Smith and Hollis Thompson drilled 3-pointers to cut the gap to 109-108. The Sixers also regained possession after an Antetokounmpo miss, but Smith came up empty on a 3-point attempt.
Thompson grabbed the offensive rebound, but Antetokounmpo blocked his follow attempt. Smith scooped up the loose ball but missed a layup, and Antetokounmpo rebounded.
Middleton poured in 19 points in the first half, when the Bucks moved to a 62-45 lead. Milwaukee shot 53.5 percent in the first 24 minutes while limiting the Sixers to 36.4-percent accuracy, including 5-for-24 3-point shooting.
Grant led Philadelphia with 12 first-half points.
Milwaukee was still up by 17, 74-57, late in the third quarter. Philadelphia then assembled a 15-2 rush that included seven points by Nik Stauskas and two 3-pointers by Robert Covington to cut the gap to 76-72 just 12 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The Bucks later pushed their lead to 10, but the Sixers drew even, 94-94, on Smith’s layup with 2:21 left in the game.
The game was tied twice more, and the Bucks had the last possession of regulation. Middleton missed a jumper from the top of the circle at the buzzer.
NOTES: Before the game, the Sixers introduced Bryan Colangelo as their president of basketball operations and announced that Colangelo’s father, Jerry, was stepping down as chairman of basketball operations. The younger Colangelo, formerly the general manager in Phoenix and Toronto, was selected NBA Executive of the Year in 2005 with the Suns and ’07 with the Raptors. He said the team faces “a summer of change.” … Jerry Colangelo will now serve as an advisor to Josh Harris, the team’s managing general partner. … Sixers F Carl Landry and G Isaiah Canaan each missed his second straight game, Landry with a sore lower back, Canaan with an injured left shoulder. … Longtime NBA referee Joey Crawford, a Philadelphia native who recently announced his retirement, was honored between the first and second quarters. … Several members of Villanova’s national championship men’s basketball team were recognized between the third and fourth quarters.