Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo combined for 54 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks (25-17) to a commanding 125-96 victory over the Miami Heat (21-22) on Thursday. The Bucks secured their fifth consecutive win despite overcoming travel delays caused by a historic snowstorm.
Lillard delivered 29 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double after an adjustment to his stat line. Antetokounmpo contributed 25 points and 12 rebounds, anchoring Milwaukee’s effort. The Bucks extended their streak of scoring 120 or more points to five games.
The game, delayed by an hour due to Milwaukee’s late arrival from New Orleans, saw the Heat capitalize early, building an 18-3 lead. However, the Bucks surged back in the second quarter, outscoring Miami 44-25, with Lillard scoring six points in the final 1.1 seconds of the half to secure a 71-55 advantage.
Gary Trent Jr. added a spark off the bench with a season-high 21 points, shooting 7 of 10 from beyond the arc. Bobby Portis also chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds for the Bucks, who shot 45% from three-point range.
Miami, playing without Jimmy Butler, struggled to match Milwaukee’s intensity. Butler began serving a two-game suspension for what the team described as “insubordinate conduct.” Rookie center Kel’el Ware led the Heat with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyler Herro contributed 21 points and nine assists.
Despite shooting 37% from the field and 23.5% from three, Miami started strong but failed to sustain momentum. Milwaukee dominated the boards with a 55-50 edge in rebounding and limited their turnovers to just six compared to Miami’s ten.
Miami, on the other hand, missed Butler’s defensive presence and leadership. Bam Adebayo was limited to 11 points and 14 rebounds, while the Heat’s supporting cast struggled to provide consistent offense.