NBA

NBA: Lillard leads Bucks past Heat for 5th straight win

By Sports Desk November 27, 2024 443

Damian Lillard had 37 points and 12 assists, and the resurgent Milwaukee Bucks squandered a 22-point second-half lead before beating the Miami Heat 106-103 in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night.

Brook Lopez scored 13 points and Bobby Portis had 11 for the Bucks, who have won five in a row and moved back to the .500 mark (9-9) for the first time since they were 1-1.

Milwaukee played without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, a late pregame scratch because of swelling in his left knee.

The Bucks (3-0 in Cup play) also moved a half-game ahead of Detroit (2-0) in the East Group B standings.

Jimmy Butler scored 23 points for Miami, which got 18 from Tyler Herro, 17 from Terry Rozier and 16 from Bam Adebayo. The Heat tied the game at 96-96 on a layup by Butler and got within one point on three occasions later, but never led.

The Heat, who were outscored 60-30 from 3-point range, fell to 1-2 in Cup play.

AJ Green made back-to-back 3-pointers for Milwaukee in the final minutes, both coming immediately after Miami scored to get within one. His late 3s gave Milwaukee leads of 101-97 and 104-100.

Durant, Beal return as Suns cruise

Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant each scored 23 points and the Phoenix Suns celebrated the healthy return of both players with a 127-100 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Devin Booker led the way with 26 points and had 10 assists as the Suns snapped a five-game losing streak.

Beal had missed the past five games while Durant had missed seven in a row - both players were sidelined by a strained left calf.

Beal made 10 of 15 shots, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range.

The Lakers were led by Anthony Davis, who scored 25 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. LeBron James added 18 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists as Los Angeles lost its third straight.

The Suns outscored the Lakers 36-18 in the third quarter, turning a tight game into a 98-78 advantage. Booker had 11 points during the run, while Jusuf Nurkic had 10.

Booker made three consecutive shots during the Suns' 14-2 run midway through the third quarter, helping push the lead to 86-72.

Phoenix is 9-1 when Durant is in the lineup and 1-6 when he's not.

Rockets outlast Wolves in OT

Alperen Sengun had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, Fred VanVleet added 27 points and 11 assists, and the Houston Rockets pulled out a 117-111 overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in an NBA Cup game.

Dillon Brooks added 22 points for Houston, which improved to 3-0 in the competition and clinched West Group A and a spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.

Anthony Edwards had 29 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which has lost three in a row. Julius Randle scored 21, while Naz Reid had 19 off the bench.

Rookie Rob Dillingham, the No. 8 pick in the draft out of Kentucky, had his best game of the season, helping to fill the void left by point guard Mike Conley, who missed his third straight game with a left great toe sprain. Dillingham had 12 points and season highs with seven assists and five rebounds.

With 15 seconds left in regulation, Sengun got a pass on a drive to the basket for a potential layup, but Rudy Gobert came across for the block to keep the score tied. Edwards’ jumper on the other end was off the mark and the game went to overtime.

Houston shot 15 of 37 from 3-point territory, including 10 of 18 in the first half to build its lead.

Last modified on Wednesday, 27 November 2024 06:52
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