No Giannis, No problem
MILWAUKEE — It wasn’t exactly a revenge game for the Milwaukee Bucks, though it felt good.
Pat Connaughton made seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points, and the Bucks avenged an embarrassing loss from the second game of the season, beating the Heat 124-102 on Sunday despite playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee led by as many as 31 points against a depleted Heat team missing Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo due to injuries. Antetokounmpo sat out with a right calf injury.
The Heat routed Milwaukee 137-95 in Miami but the Bucks dominated this time behind Khris Middleton, Connaughton and Jrue Holiday.
“We just wanted to go out there and build good habits, just be the best team we can on a day-to-day basis,” said Bucks center Bobby Portis, who had 19 points and a career-high-tying 16 rebounds. “It’s not about the Miami Heat and us playing against them.”
Connaughton was 7-of-13 on 3s, tying his career-high, and Middleton had 22 points, nine assists and six rebounds in 30 minutes. Holiday scored all of his 16 points in the first half as Milwaukee sprinted to a 17-point lead at intermission.
The Bucks extended their lead to 105-76 after three quarters as Middleton and Portis took over.
DeMarcus Cousins added 11 points in his second game with the Bucks and Thanasis Antetokounmpo had 10. Cousins joined the team earlier in the week to help make up for the absence of Brook Lopez, out indefinitely after undergoing back surgery.
Max Strus scored 25 points for Miami, making five 3-pointers. Caleb Martin had 16 points and Herro scored 15.
The Bucks scored 26 second-chance points and outscored Miami in the paint, 48-26. Milwaukee also did a solid job on Herro and Duncan Robinson, who were a combined 8 for 27 from the field. (AP)*