Heat blown out by Bucks on the road

This one started promisingly enough, with Hassan Whiteside sinking a couple of jumpers and Justise Winslow continuing to play point guard with aplomb.

Then it all unraveled. Quickly. And embarrassingly.

Down by two midway through the first quarter, the Milwaukee Bucks then unleashed a 47-21 avalanche on the Heat and Miami never again drew closer than 18 in a 124-86 Bucks romp on Tuesday night at Fiserv Forum.

Milwaukee led by 24 at the half and by 30 after three, then built the margin to as much as 38 in Miami’s most lopsided loss of the season.

Only Whiteside (19 points, eight rebounds) and Justise Winslow (19 points, five assists) did anything of note for Miami, which opened the second half of its schedule with one of its most lopsided losses of the year.

The Heat’s defense, a strength in recent weeks, was uncharacteristically dismal, allowing Milwaukee to shoot 51 percent and 10 for 19 on three-pointers in a 69-point first half. The Bucks closed at 50 percent from the field and 43.6 on threes (17 for 39).

The Heat, meanwhile, shot 8 for 34 on threes (23.5 percent) and committed 18 turnovers. But it wasn’t the Bucks’ best player doing most of the damage early.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored only five in the first half and 12 for the game. And Milwaukee’s secondbest player, Khris Middleton, scored only 11. Instead, the Heat was beaten down by Eric Bledsoe (17), Malcolm Brogdon (16) and a bunch of reserves. 76ers 149, Timberwolves 107: Joel Embiid had 31 points and 13 rebounds, and host Philadelphia scored 83 points in the first half in a thrashing of Minnesota in Jimmy Butler’s first game against his former team.

Hawks 142, Thunder 126: Trae Young had 24 points and 11 assists to win the showdown of past and former Atlanta point guards, leading the host Hawks over the Thunder. Former Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder scored 21 points in his return to Atlanta.

Pacers 131, Suns 97: Bojan Bogdanovic scored 20 points and host Indiana cruised to over Phoenix.