Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominant performance, alongside a solid contribution from Damian Lillard, guided the Milwaukee Bucks to a hard-earned 122-114 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night.
Although the Bucks built a substantial 25-point lead, the Heat’s late surge led by Tyler Herro challenged Milwaukee’s advantage, with the margin narrowing to single digits in the final minutes.
Lillard’s 25 points and Bobby Portis’ 16 points added to the Bucks’ offensive prowess, countering Herro’s impressive 35-point effort for the Heat, who played without star center Bam Adebayo due to injury.
The matchup carried significant weight, resonating from the postseason history between the two teams, as the Heat’s stunning upset over the top-seeded Bucks in last season’s playoffs fueled a series of offseason changes for both franchises.
Despite the preseason trade discussions linking Lillard to the Heat, the former Trail Blazers star emphasized before and after the game that he approached the matchup with no particular emotional attachment.
