No Antetokounmpo? Bucks still beat Heat
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The Milwaukee Bucks lost the first three games of the Eastern Conference semifinals, then lost the NBA’s MVP while trying to fend off elimination.
No problem. The Bucks aren’t done yet.
Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo missing most of the game with a sprained right ankle, the Bucks extended their season to a Game 5 on Tuesday. Khris Middleton scored 21 of his 36 points in the third quarter, then made a huge 3-pointer with 6.3 seconds left in overtime and the Bucks topped the Miami Heat 118-115 in Game 4 of their series Sunday.
“Just keep fighting,” said Middleton, who also had eight rebounds and eight assists. “That’s all my teammates did.”
Miami still leads the series 3-1. The Heat gave up 12 straight points in the final period Sunday, wasting what was an eight-point lead in a closeout game.
Bam Adebayo had 26 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists for Miami. Duncan Robinson scored 20 points, Jae Crowder had 18 and Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler each finished with 17 for the Heat.
Antetokounmpo scored 19 points for the Bucks in only 11 minutes, while Brook Lopez and George Hill each had 14 for Milwaukee.
Miami managed only two points in the first 4:30 of overtime, got within one on a 3-pointer from Tyler Herro, but Middleton delivered the biggest shot of the night to make it 116-112.
Herro made another 3-pointer with 3.0 seconds left, but Middleton sealed it with a pair of free throws.
Antetokounmpo had 19 of Milwaukee’s first 30 points, shooting 8-for-10 from the floor. But he aggravated his sprained right ankle in the second quarter and left.
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Jamal Murray scored 27 points, Nikola Jokic had 26 points and 18 rebounds, and Denver never trailed on the way to beating Los Angeles in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal series late Saturday.
Gary Harris and Paul Millsap each added 13 points to help Denver knot the series at a game apiece. Game 3 is today.
Paul George scored 22 points for the Clippers, who got 15 from Ivica Zubac and endured a rare off night offensively from Kawhi Leonard. The two-time NBA Finals MVP had 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but shot only 4 for 17.