NBA: Heat race past Bucks for 7th consecutive victory

Pelle Larsson scored a career-high 28 points and added six rebounds and six assists as the host Miami Heat extended their winning streak to a season-high seven games, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 112-105 on Thursday night.

The Bucks never held the lead and suffered their third consecutive loss, marking seven defeats in eight games.

Miami’s Bam Adebayo, who scored 83 points on Tuesday—the second-highest single-game total in NBA history—struggled early, scoring just eight points through three quarters before finishing with 21. He shot 6-for-20 from the field, 0-for-5 from three-point range, and 9-for-13 at the free-throw line.

Rookie Kasparas Jakucionis also shined for the Heat, contributing 18 points on 5-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc.

For Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 31 points, while Bobby Portis came off the bench to add 19. Bucks reserve Ryan Rollins recorded 16 points and a game-high 10 assists.

Miami played without three of its top four scorers: Norman Powell (groin), Tyler Herro (quadriceps), and Andrew Wiggins (toe). Meanwhile, the Bucks welcomed back three players from the injured list. Portis had missed one game with a back issue, Kevin Porter Jr. returned after four games out with a knee injury and contributed six points, seven rebounds, and five assists, and Jericho Sims, who missed one game due to a knee injury, added seven points.

The Heat led by as many as 14 points early in the game and held a 31-21 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Antetokounmpo scored 10 points in the period, but the Bucks struggled from three-point range, shooting just 1-for-5 compared to Miami’s 5-for-13.

Adebayo had just four points in the first quarter, 27 fewer than his total in the same period on Tuesday. In the second quarter, he scored only two points while Miami shot 42.1% from the field, and Milwaukee shot 52.4%. Antetokounmpo scored eight consecutive points to bring the Bucks within three, and a Rollins three-pointer cut the deficit to one. However, the Heat closed the half on a strong run, taking a 59-51 lead into the break.

Adebayo continued to struggle in the third quarter, scoring only two points as Milwaukee narrowed the gap to four before Miami regained control for an 85-77 advantage.

The Heat led by 11 early in the fourth quarter. With 51.9 seconds remaining, Milwaukee had a chance to tie the game on a three-point attempt by Antetokounmpo, but his shot bounced off the rim and backboard. Larsson then sank a three-pointer on the next possession, effectively sealing the win for Miami with 27.9 seconds left.

-Field Level Media/Reuters