Giannis Antetokounmpo was the star of Tuesday’s game between NBA defending champions Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers. The game ended with a tally of 118-116, registering a close victory for the Bucks.

Giannis’ performance on Tuesday not only included his 40-point contribution but also an 11th-hour leap to block a shot from Joel Embiid, securing his team a victory. The clash of the top two Eastern Conference teams had a nail-biting finish, as was expected.

Also Read: NBA: Chicago Bulls alone in 5th place after 107-94 win over Washington Wizards

Giannis also had six assists, 14 rebounds and three blocks, including the one against Embiid, to ensure his team tipped over the finish line just in time.

Bucks’ total of 118 was also filled by 22 points from Khris Middleton ad 18 from Jrue Holiday. The pair was seen actively chasing any opportunities to either put the ball through the basket themselves, or pass it to Giannis for a point.

James Harden had 32 points and nine rebounds for the 76ers, and Embiid recovered from a slow start and finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. Philadelphia dropped 1.5 behind the Heat in the conference, according to reports from Associated Press.

Also Read: NBA: Atlanta Hawks beat Indiana Pacers 132-123 despite last minute struggles

The Bucks scored 13 of the first 17 points of the fourth, going in front on Middleton’s 3-pointer that made it 94-93 with nine minutes to play. The game remained close the rest of the way, with neither team going up by more than six points.

Every time it looked as if Milwaukee was going to pull away, the 76ers answered with a 3 to stay close. Embiid’s 3-pointer with 49.8 seconds left pulled Philadelphia within 117-116. After a turnover by Brook Lopez, Philadelphia had a chance to go in front, but Embiid missed a 14-footer following a timeout.