Damian Lillard scored 32 points (13 in the fourth quarter), and the Milwaukee Bucks closed the fourth quarter on a 16-6 run to beat the Miami Heat 131-124.
The Heat led 118-115 with 3:25 left in the fourth quarter. Khris Middleton’s 19-foot fadeaway put the Bucks ahead for good with 2:15 left. Lillard scored 6 points during the run.
Middleton’s 11-foot fadeaway with 1:38 left made it 122-118, and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dunk with 14.8 seconds left put it away at 131-124.
During clutch time, the Bucks outscored the Heat 19-11. Lillard (No. 3 in clutch points, 2023-24) scored 9 of the Bucks’ 19 on 2 for 4 shooting and 3 for 3 at the line. In the fourth quarter, Antetokounmpo had 2 of his 3 steals, one of them leading to Middleton’s driving layup that put the Bucks ahead 108-106, and the Bucks scored 2 points off them.
Antetokounmpo had 33 points (18 in the paint), 10 rebounds and 3 steals on 11 for 16 shooting. The Bucks had 2 30-point scorers.
For the Heat, Bam Adebayo had 31 points and 10 rebounds, and Kyle Lowry added 21 points and 6 assists on 7 for 10 shooting. Josh Richardson had 20 points and 7 assists. The Heat had 3 20-point scorers.
The Bucks went 24 for 27 at the line to the Heat’s 14 for 21. The Heat forced 9 turnovers, about 8 fewer than usual for this many possessions. The Bucks’ starters outscored the Heat 49-30 in 16 minutes together.