Turner Scores 29, 76ers Beat Bucks 90-85
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Evan Turner scored a career-high 29 points and the Philadelphia 76ers got a win while resting some key players for the playoffs, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 90-85 on Wednesday night.
Jodie Meeks added 27 points for the 76ers, who eliminated the Bucks from playoff contention with their victory over New Jersey on Monday.
The 76ers rested Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young.
Brandon Jennings scored 19 points for the Bucks, who were playing short-handed in their home finale.
The Bucks played only nine players Wednesday — and Jennings was the only regular starter on the court. Monta Ellis, Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute all sat out.
Then Milwaukee lost forward Ekpe Udoh to knee soreness during the game.
Leading by four points in the fourth quarter, the 76ers went on an 8-2 run.
But the Bucks rallied, cutting the lead to three on a 3-pointer by Jennings. Turner responded with a jumper as the shot clock expired on the 76ers' next possession, and Philadelphia led 86-81 with 3:11 remaining.
The Bucks had one last rally, cutting the lead to three on a jumper by Beno Udrih with 38.1 seconds left. After a miss by the 76ers, the Bucks couldn't find an open 3-point shot and Shaun Livingston missed a layup.
Although the playoff schedule has not been finalized, Philadelphia coach Doug Collins said before Wednesday's game that he figures the 76ers will face the Chicago Bulls, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, in the first round — and he thinks they'll likely open in Chicago on Saturday.
If that's the case, Collins says the 76ers will fly straight to Chicago after their regular-season finale at Detroit on Thursday and hold a practice Friday; he told players to pack their bags for four days when they left Philadelphia.
Although there still was a slight chance going into Wednesday's game that the 76ers could face Miami in the first round instead of Chicago, Collins said he and his assistants are spending any extra time they have scouting Chicago.
"I think you make, hopefully, an educated guess," Collins said.
Notes: Philadelphia's Sam Young left the game after injuring his eye. ... Jennings gave a brief speech thanking fans before the game. Milwaukee finishes the regular season at Boston on Thursday. ... Collins said he's trying anything he can to figure out the 76ers' potential playoff schedule, including talking to his former TV colleagues. "I reached out to my buddies at TNT, just to see, because I know TV drives what it is."
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