Sixers-Bucks observations: JJ Redick stays hot, but Ben Simmons can’t stop Giannis Antetokounmpo

The 76ers lost their final regular-season meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks, 128-122, on Thursday night.

Here are some observations and the best and worst from the game.

— Giannis Antetokounmpo is this season’s likely MVP and is going to be a tough matchup for anyone, no matter the circumstances. Joel Embiid actually did a pretty good job guarding the Bucks’ go-to man, but when Ben Simmons was tasked with taking on Antetokounmpo, it looked like there was almost nothing standing in the Greek Freak’s way. If the Sixers make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, they will probably be facing the Bucks, and figuring out a way to limit Antetokounmpo just a tad when Embiid is either off the floor or switched off will be huge.

— The Bucks’ clear defensive goal is to limit outside shots they consider highly threatening while letting others go freely. They gave Embiid and Simmons all the room in the world on the perimeter, and while we know that Simmons isn’t going to take outside shots, Embiid will and can hit them. When a defense is as good and as ready to collapse as the Bucks’ was Thursday, Embiid needs to take even more outside shots. His success rate of dribble-driving off the three-point line is not nearly as successful as a wide-open shot, and if the defense is willing to give him open threes, he should let them fly.

— JJ Redick has had some shooting lulls this season, but as the season winds down, he seems to be winding up. Redick hit from nearly everywhere against Milwaukee, including some incredibly tough, fading shots that brought the bench to its feet. With a lot of uncertainty heading into the postseason, it’s nice for the Sixers to have some reliability, especially from the perimeter.

— Best performance: Antetokounmpo has put up 97 points against the Sixers in their last two meetings. Even when he has to work for everything when Embiid is on the floor, he still finds a way to score and impact the game in every way. He finished with 45 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and five blocks Thursday.

— Worst performance: It’s hard to impact a game when you aren’t there. Eric Bledsoe was tossed after shoving Embiid and then tossing the ball at him in an altercation in the first quarter. Had he stayed in the game, it probably would have had an impact on the Sixers’ three-point shooting, but he let his anger get the best of him.

— Best defensive performance: Another one for Antetokounmpo. His five blocks are absolutely notable, but they don’t tell the whole story. His recovery time, ability to switch, and his efficiency on help defense are what make him so lethal. Add in the physicality and athleticism he brings to the table, and it’s hard to get anything easy against him.

— Worst statistic: The Sixers attempted just 18 free throws to the Bucks’ 43. With a game this physical and with so much emphasis on defending the paint and shutting down transition plays, the Sixers failed to take advantage of the contact.

— Best statistic: The Sixers shot 50 percent from three-point range, hitting 18 of 36 shots. That included a 5-for-9 night from Redick and 6-for-8 outing from Mike Scott.

— Worst of the worst: I mentioned the free-throw attempts above, but the worst part is that of the 18 attempts, just eight came from Sixers not named Embiid.