Giannis, Damian Lillard Wow NBA Fans as Bucks Beat Heat After Offseason Trade Rumors
Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a game-high 33 points and Damian Lillard scored 13 of his 32 in the final 6:18 of regulation to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 131-124 road win over the Miami Heat to close In-Season Tournament group play on Tuesday.
For much of the summer, it appeared that Lillard would be playing with the Heat. After 11 seasons in Portland, the seven-time All-NBA player asked the Trail Blazers to trade him to Miami.
That never happened, but the Blazers ultimately dealt him to the Bucks, who now find themselves just one game back of the first-place Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee looks like a legit NBA title contender with Lillard aboard after wins in eight of its last nine games.
Meanwhile, the Heat have struggled of late, losing their last three games and four of their last six. Miami has gone without superstar Jimmy Butler (sprained right ankle) over the past two games and Tyler Herro (right ankle injury) since Nov. 8, so brighter days should be ahead when they return.
However, losing out on Lillard is still a tough blow for the Heat, who could have been the missing piece the team needs for a championship. Instead, he's playing on a Bucks team that should be launching a deep playoff run next spring.
As for the game, Lillard also dished nine assists. His biggest shot was a three-pointer with 3:03 left to tie this game at 118.
Two possessions earlier, Lillard hit another big three to give the Bucks a 115-113 edge.
Lillard also hit three big free throws down the stretch en route to the win.
As for Antetokounmpo, he added 10 rebounds and five assists in addition to his 33 points. Fourteen of his points came in the third quarter. It was another remarkable performance for the two-time NBA MVP, who entered the night averaging 34.1 points on 63.8 percent shooting over his past nine games.
For the Heat, Bam Adebayo led the way with 31 points and 10 boards, while Kyle Lowry (21 points, six assists) and Josh Richardson (20 points, seven assists) complemented his efforts.
Ultimately, this game went the way of the Bucks thanks to their two superstars, who awed fans and analysts alike once again.
With the win, the Bucks clinched East Group B in the In-Season Tournament. Now they will face the New York Knicks in quarterfinals action in hopes of winning the first-ever NBA Cup.
