PHILADELPHIA — If you didn't know any better, you might have thought the NBA playoffs started early.

In the rubber match of the three-game season series Tuesday, both the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers went hard at each other from start to finish. Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe and 76ers center Joel Embiid got into a ball-chucking altercation that led to Bledsoe's ejection less than three minutes into the game.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo later denied Embiid on a dunk attempt, sending him hard to the floor flat on his back. The sellout Philadelphia crowd of 20,701 fans roared with each of the 11 combined 3-pointers by J.J. Redick and Mike Scott and howled at the two triples Antetokounmpo air-balled. By the end of the night, Antetokounmpo had a red gash on his right knee and a scratch on his nose from all the contact he met in the paint.

What he and the Bucks also had, though, was a victory. Antetokounmpo, an MVP favorite, certainly looked the part as he made a statement with one of his most impressive outings to date, putting up 45 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and five blocks — four on Embiid — and didn't commit a turnover in 35 minutes to lead the Bucks to a 128-122 win at Wells Fargo Center.

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"That felt like a statement, especially what he does defensively with five blocks and 13 rebounds and changes the game," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "He’s an MVP in our eyes. ...

"I think Giannis, that’s kind of how he’s built — to play against the best and compete and just lay it all on the line. A little something on the line for us with the No. 1 seed."

The win locked the Bucks (59-20) into the best record in the NBA for the 2018-19 season with three games to go. It marks the first time since 1973-74 — the last season with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and Bob Dandridge together in Milwaukee — that the Bucks go into the postseason having earned home-court advantage throughout.

A season like this hasn't been so long in the making for Antetokounmpo, the 15th overall pick by the Bucks in 2013, but he appreciates the long hours and struggle that went into making it nonetheless.

"It’s amazing, man. It’s a journey, a six-year journey," Antetokounmpo said of the Bucks' rise from 15 wins his rookie season to this point. "Hopefully we can keep getting better and we can reach our goal — that is, to win the championship."

Knowing their magic number was down to just one game and still stewing from a St. Patrick's Day loss at home to the 76ers, the Bucks entered Thursday's contest feeling like they had something to prove. In a season in which every player has embraced a consistent, one-game-at-a-time approach, they were willing to admit this was a game they really wanted.

It almost went sideways on them early. Less than three minutes into the game, Bledsoe and Embiid got tangled up on a box out. Embiid shoved Bledsoe and the Bucks point guard took umbrage, throwing his left forearm into Embiid's back after Antetokounmpo connected on a 3-pointer.

Embiid then gestured to the closest referee, who was about to call a technical foul on Bledsoe when Embiid tossed the ball at Bledsoe in a disrespectful manner. Bledsoe caught it and fired it back, hitting Embiid hard in the chest and igniting a fracas between the two sides. Four technicals were assessed in the aftermath, including two on Bledsoe that resulted in his ejection.

Ultimately, it was George Hill, Bledsoe's replacement, who helped deliver the win. While Antetokounmpo was dominant throughout the game, the Bucks had a hard time finding him consistent offensive help.

Khris Middleton started strong and had 22 points on 7-of-18 shooting, but only logged 25 minutes in his first game back after missing a pair with left groin soreness. Brook Lopez was 0-for-5 on 3-pointers going into the fourth quarter. Sterling Brown and D.J. Wilson, who had 12 and 11 points, respectively, had nice stretches, but didn't have the ball in their hands much.

It was Hill who filled the void, scoring 13 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter alone, including a clutch seven-point run in less than a minute. With just under two minutes left, he hit a step-back 3-pointer to get the Bucks within one. He then hit a 15-footer and deposited a layup in transition to give the Bucks a two-point lead with just over a minute remaining.

"George has always been solid," Middleton said. "We know what he’s done his whole career. For him to come in tonight with Bled gone and play I don’t know how many minutes, and chase Redick around all night long, then come through late in the fourth quarter like he did was huge."

After Hill's go-ahead flurry, the Bucks still needed to hold on, and their league-best defense was up to the challenge.

Following a timeout, Embiid caught the ball along the arc and drove on Lopez. On his drive, he spun for a shot, but Antetokounmpo came in out of nowhere and swatted the ball from the paint to the front row of seats along the baseline. Lopez then broke up a pass, leading to a run-out for Antetokounmpo, who fed Brown for a bucket.

"Coach wanted me to help," Antetokounmpo said. "I was guarding Ben (Simmons). When he was facing up, I was helping and that was wrong, I was putting the guys behind me in a bad situation. I saw (Embiid), he didn’t know exactly where I was, so I was able to come from behind and help Brook."

A Tobias Harris miss, an Antetokounmpo rebound and two free throws by Middleton sealed the win, with a Hill free throw punctuating a 46-point closing quarter.

While Hill was a major contributor late, the night belonged to Antetokounmpo. The 76ers refused to double-team him, and much like he did in his 52-point outburst in the last meeting between these two, Antetokounmpo made them pay.

Whether it was Embiid, Simmons or someone else trying to stop him in the post, Antetokounmpo found ways around or through everyone. He finished 13-of-22 from the field and 16-of-21 from the free-throw line, taking hard fouls in pursuit of buckets.

It was a dominant performance from an MVP hopeful — the best player on the best team — but for his teammates, it was just another night with Antetokounmpo. They've gotten used to his incredible feats, which may be one of the better arguments for his MVP candidacy.

Middleton was quick to say this wasn't the best game he's seen Antetokounmpo play, which with his numbers is quite something.

"He’s been like that all year — resilient, humble and fun to be around," Hill said. "He’s going to continue to be Giannis throughout his career and he’s only getting better."

Embiid carried Philadelphia with a 34-point, 13-rebound and 13-assist triple-double, while Redick, freed from being dogged by Bledsoe all night, torched the Bucks for 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting.

The 76ers shot 18-of-36 on 3-pointers, including Scott — replacing injured guard Jimmy Butler in the starting lineup — going 8-of-11 overall and 6-of-8 on 3-pointers. That hot outside shooting aided the 76ers in building a lead as large as nine in the third quarter, while the Bucks struggled to find consistency on offense outside of Antetokounmpo and Middleton.

But in the end, the Bucks had Antetokounmpo and more than enough firepower on their bench, two hallmarks of their highly successful campaign, to come away with one of their most impressive victories of the season.

"It’s big for us," Antetokounmpo said. "A lot of guys are missing right now — Niko (Mirotic) is missing, Malcolm (Brogdon) is missing, Bledsoe didn’t play. It’s just good to know we have 12 guys, 13 guys, 15 guys that are able any given night to step up and help this team."

Matt Velazquez covers the NBA for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow on Twitter @Matt_Velazquez.