Kevin Porter Jr. matched his season high with 32 points, while Bobby Portis and Ryan Rollins each added 21 as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Miami Heat 128-117 on Tuesday night, earning their fourth win in five games. Kyle Kuzma contributed 19 points, and Ousmane Dieng added 11 for Milwaukee.
Norman Powell led the Heat with 26 points, Bam Adebayo finished with 18 points and nine rebounds, and Andrew Wiggins scored 16. Tyler Herro and Kel’el Ware chipped in 14 points apiece, while Pelle Larsson added 10. Davion Mitchell returned from a missed game due to illness and recorded eight points and eight assists.
Milwaukee held a 63-58 halftime lead, but the third quarter featured multiple lead changes, with Miami entering the fourth ahead 93-89. Ware’s 3-pointer early in the final period gave the Heat a nine-point advantage, their largest of the night. The Bucks responded with a 3 from Portis to cut the deficit to 102-100, and Dieng’s long-range shot put Milwaukee ahead 103-102.
The back-and-forth fourth continued until Porter’s corner 3, followed by a free throw, gave the Bucks a 118-116 lead. Back-to-back baskets by Rollins in the final minute sealed the win. Milwaukee led 30-29 after the first quarter, paced by Kuzma’s 13 points.
Miami scored 16 points off 11 Bucks turnovers, while Milwaukee managed just 11 points on 16 Heat turnovers. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his 12th straight game with a strained right calf; the Bucks are 15-15 with him and 10-16 without him this season. Heat forward Nikola Jovic missed his second consecutive game due to a back injury.
Up next: The Heat visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, and the Bucks host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
