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Bucks fall to 76ers

MILWAUKEE — Coach Scott Skiles threw out a frightening reference Wednesday night in discussing the Milwaukee Bucks’ disappointing, 110-105 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at the Bradley Center.

Skiles compared the defensive effort the Bucks have been giving in recent games to what was seen from Bucks teams in the not-so-distant past. That’s enough to send a shiver up the spine of anyone who has followed the team in recent years.

“It’s basically our fifth game in a row where we’re lacking any sort of will to defend,” said Skiles. “We got away with it a couple games. This is reminiscent of the past couple years—Bucks basketball—go out and play no defense, don’t give much of an effort and try to outscore people. We were fortunate the other night (against Toronto) we got away with it. Tonight we didn’t.”

Wednesday’s game was very similar to the Bucks’ victory over Toronto on Monday in that once again the defense was lacking. The 76ers shot 51.6 percent and spent much more time at the foul line than the Bucks did, but again the Bucks had a chance to win. Unlike the Toronto game, though, not all of the Bucks’ shots went in down the stretch this time.

Once again the Bucks played from behind as they trailed by eight points just 5 minutes into the game and by 10 early in the second.

While the Bucks, who led by eight early in the fourth, were able to dodge a bullet against the Raptors, they weren’t quite so lucky this time.

“We didn’t do the job that we were supposed to,” said forward Richard Jefferson. “Not to take any credit away from them . . . in the last five minutes when we’re supposed to turn it up, we just didn’t do it. Coach can scream and yell and do all the things he wants, but we have to do a better job, including myself. I made some defensive mistakes and some offensive errors down the stretch that you can’t have if you want to be a good team. We’re just not playing very consistent.”

Said guard Luke Ridnour, “We have to get our defense, our shell, back and tight, like it was four or five games ago.”

Jefferson led the Bucks with 27 points, scoring nine in the fourth quarter. Forward Charlie Villanueva had a big second quarter and finished with 26. Michael Redd scored 16 of his 20 in the first half. Point guard Andre Miller led Philadelphia with 28 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

The Bucks were again without the injured Andrew Bogut (back) and Malik Allen (lower back). Philadelphia’s Elton Brand is out with a shoulder injury.

The Bucks took an 85-79 lead into the fourth, but layups by Marreese Speights and Thaddeus Young gave Philadelphia a three-point lead with 3:48 left. Two free throws by Villanueva cut the lead to one with 2:38 left, but Andre Iguodala hit a jumper for Philadelphia.

Ridnour, who made two big three-pointers down the stretch against Toronto, missed from beyond the arc, and a free throw by Miller gave the 76ers a 102-98 lead with 1:50 left.

A three-pointer by Ridnour would cut the lead to 104-103 with 49 seconds left, but Miller responded with a three-pointer with 28.7 seconds left. Redd misfired on a three, but Jefferson grabbed the rebound and scored with 18.7 seconds left. Iguodala made one free throw with 17.7 seconds left, and Milwaukee’s Charlie Bell missed a three-pointer in the final seconds.

Villanueva caught fire in the second quarter and led Milwaukee to a 59-55 halftime lead. Villanueva made six of seven shots, including all three of his three-pointers, and scored 18 of his 20 first-half points in the second quarter. A pair of three-pointers by Villanueva in the final minute accounted for the Bucks’ final points of the half.

“We just haven’t had will on the defensive end to start the game,” said Skiles. “We’re breaking down all over the place. We didn’t have much energy. We’re just having way too many breakdowns and then we’re trying to play catch-up.”