MILWAUKEE — In a thrilling matchup on Sunday, the Milwaukee Bucks secured their fourth straight win by defeating the Miami Heat 120-113, thanks to a powerful performance in the final quarter. Damian Lillard led the Bucks with an impressive 28 points while also contributing eight assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo was also pivotal, recording 23 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.
Brook Lopez supported the team with 17 points, while Kyle Kuzma and Gary Trent Jr. each scored 16. Kevin Porter Jr. added 11 points to the scoreline. The Bucks played without Lillard in their previous game against Washington due to a hamstring strain, making his return all the more significant.
On the other hand, the Miami Heat saw Tyler Herro deliver a standout performance, achieving a season-high 40 points along with 11 assists. His teammate Bam Adebayo contributed 24 points, while Andrew Wiggins added 20 and Kel’el Ware made an impact with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The game saw its share of momentum swings, with the Bucks falling behind by as much as 14 points. However, they turned the tides in the fourth quarter, outpacing the Heat 35-20 in this final stretch. After Herro’s three-pointer evened the score at 109, Milwaukee sealed the win with an 11-4 run to end the game.
Key observations from the match included Herro’s shooting struggles; despite his impressive total points, he finished the game just 3 for 12 from beyond the arc after making only 1 of 5 attempts in the first half. For the Bucks, both Lillard and Antetokounmpo defied expectations about playing time restrictions due to injuries, logging 38 and 32 minutes, respectively. Antetokounmpo had played only 19 minutes in the previous game due to caution and foul trouble.
A pivotal moment came early in the fourth quarter when Porter scored seven points in a row and then assisted Jericho Sims with an alley-oop, allowing the Bucks to take their first lead since the first quarter at 97-95 with 9:20 remaining.
In terms of depth, Milwaukee’s bench outperformed Miami’s reserves significantly, scoring 34 points against the Heat’s 12. As the teams prepare for their upcoming games, the Heat are scheduled to face off against Atlanta on Monday, while the Bucks will travel to Houston for their next challenge on Tuesday.
