Playoff-bound Bucks visit Philly

(SportsNetwork.com) - The postseason-bound Milwaukee Bucks will pay a visit to the Philadelphia 76ers Monday at Wells Fargo Center.

Monday night's game marks the return of Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams to south Philly. Carter-Williams was named Rookie of the Year in 2013-14 and was dealt to Milwaukee in a midseason trade.

"I can't wait to come back to Philly," MCW told the Philadelphia Inquirer Friday. "Of course it's going to be fun because, you know, they traded me, so there's a little edge there."

The Bucks are sixth in the Eastern Conference - two games ahead of Boston - and recorded a 96-73 victory over the Nets on Sunday.

Ersan Ilyasova led the hosts with 21 points, O.J. Mayo scored 17 off the bench and Khris Middleton added 16 points for Milwaukee, which shot 49 percent and held the Nets to 32.5 percent shooting.

Milwaukee scored 24 points off 21 turnovers to clinch a playoff spot. It had a 30-18 scoring advantage in the third quarter.

"I think it was a team effort," Bucks first-year coach Jason Kidd said. "The third quarter we came out like we have in the last couple games and put the ball in the basket and got stops."

The Bucks have won two in a row and four of six games, and will close the regular season Wednesday versus Boston.

Philadelphia has lost eight in a row and will play two straight at home versus Milwaukee and Miami.

The Sixers are coming off Saturday's 114-107 setback in Chicago, as Robert Covington led the visitors with 22 points. Jason Richardson scored 19 points and JaKarr Sampson chipped in 18.

"We got stops when we tried to, but when it came down to crunch time we just missed a few rotations as a team," Covington said.

The 76ers have lost three straight at home and are 0-3 against the Bucks this season. Milwaukee is unbeaten in the last five meetings between the teams and has an 8-2 mark in the previous 10 encounters.