Lillard leads Bucks to victory over Embiid's Sixers

Despite the key absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 135-127 on Sunday, led by Damian Lillard's stellar 43-point performance.

The veteran point guard carried the team in Antetokounmpo's absence, as the star forward is dealing with a calf issue that will also keep him out of the All-Star Game on February 16.

Lillard also contributed seven rebounds, eight assists, and eight 3-pointers to help the Bucks snap a slump, having won only one of their previous six games.

"When we're not doing well we have to keep fighting," the All-Star point guard said after the game. "We had three important games before the All-Star break. We have to keep fighting despite adversity and today we did it."

Power forward Kyle Kuzma, Milwaukee's top acquisition in Thursday's trade, added 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.

For the Sixers, Joel Embiid's 27 points and 12 rebounds weren’t enough, despite strong support from Tyrese Maxey, who scored 39 points. Philadelphia will need more from Paul George, who was held to just 12 points in this game.

The matchup in Milwaukee stood out as the highlight of Sunday’s three NBA games, a day dominated in the United States by the NFL Super Bowl the NFL Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.

In Detroit, the Pistons defeated the Charlotte Hornets 112-102 in the debut of German point guard Dennis Schroder, who scored five points in 15 minutes of play.

Detroit's star Cade Cunningham recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in the win over the Hornets, who played without their leader, LaMelo Ball.

In the day’s other game, the Houston Rockets snapped their six-game losing streak with a 94-87 win over the Toronto Raptors, thanks to 19 points from Canadian forward Dillon Brooks.