The Milwaukee Bucks didn’t lose any of their momentum while stranded at a hotel in New Orleans.
After a scramble to get home from a snow-paralyzed New Orleans, the Bucks needed only six minutes to find their rhythm before blowing out the Miami Heat, 125-96, on Thursday night at Fiserv Forum.
BOX SCORE:Bucks 125, Heat 96
Damian Lillard had 29 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to lead Milwaukee (25-17), which has won five straight. He was just shy of his first triple-double with the Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo added 25 points and 12 rebounds.
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Delay, slow start doesn’t derail Bucks
The Bucks did not play their game against the Pelicans in New Orleans on Wednesday night because of the severe weather conditions. That game will be rescheduled at a later date.
More:Milwaukee Bucks 2024-2025 schedule
The team arrived in New Orleans ahead of the storm on Monday. The airport in New Orleans did not re-open until Thursday afternoon, with the Bucks taking off after 2 p.m. and landing less than three hours before tipoff.
The Bucks started the game shooting 1 for 12, and looking like a team that hadn’t practiced or done anything basketball-related in several days.
It seemed like it would be a long game for the local team. Then the Bucks made nine straight shots, and got rolling from there.
Damian Lillard scored six points in 1.1 seconds
Lillard didn’t get his first bucket until halfway through the second quarter.
But he closed the first half with a flourish, scoring 14 points, including six in the final 1.1 seconds.
Lillard was fouled on a three-pointer and made all three free throws. Then when the Heat threw the ball away, Lillard drilled a three from the left corner at the buzzer.
That gave the Bucks a 71-55 lead at the break. Milwaukee led by as many as 32 points in the second half.
Gary Trent Jr. is hot off the bench
The Bucks shot 18 for 40 (45&) on three-pointers, while the Heat shot just 12 for 51 (23.5%) from deep.
Milwaukee also scored 54 points off the bench, with Gary Trent Jr. leading the way with 21 points.
Trent made his first 5 three-pointers, and he finished 7 for 10 from long range.
What did the Bucks do while stuck in New Orleans?
The Bucks could not do much of anything in New Orleans, which got almost 10 inches of snow.
“It really has been a boring three days,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game. “You can categorize it as, wow, we didn’t do anything.
“Sat around the hotel basically since we got there. Which was a problem. We left a day early. Got there and couldn’t practice. Yesterday we couldn’t go to shootaround. So we haven’t touched a ball in a while. But we’re here and I’m glad we’re playing the game.”
Were there any team activities in the hotel?
“We did a mandatory stretch and lift,” Rivers said. “The next day we had film like we were going to play New Orleans even though I had information that the game was 95% not going to be played. We treated it like it was going to be played.
“We did film of New Orleans then during the meeting I got a text that the game was not going to be played. So I actually just cut the film short. Then we did another mandatory lift. Then today we just did nothing. We were hoping we could leave earlier.”
Five numbers
3 Fouls in the first 1:58 of game for Heat rookie Pelle Larsson
6 Assists for Damian Lillard before scoring his first bucket in the second quarter
22.2 Miami Heat shot 6 for 27 (22.2%) on three-pointers in the first half
6 points in 1.1 seconds for Damian Lillard at the end of the first half, on three free throws and a buzzer-beating three-pointer
71 points in the first half for the Bucks despite having just three after the first six minutes
Is Giannis playing?
The Bucks announced before the game that star Giannis Antetokounmpo is available for the game. He was listed on the injury report as probable with right patella tendinopathy.
Is Khris Middleton playing?
The Bucks announced before the game that Khris Middleton is out for the game. He was listed on the injury report as probable with bilateral ankle injury management.
What time is the Bucks game?
After the one-hour delay, the game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. CT.
What channel are the Bucks on?
It is a TNT broadcast with Brian Anderson, Stan Van Gundy and Stephanie Ready.
Bucks injury report
- AJ Green, out (left quad strain)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, probable (right patella tendinopathy)
- Khris Middleton, probable (bilateral ankle surgery injury management)
Bucks probable starters
- Guards: Damian Lillard, Andre Jackson Jr.
- Forwards: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince
- Center: Brook Lopez
Bucks vs. Heat odds, over/under
Milwaukee is an 6.5-point favorite over Philadelphia and the over/under is 226.5 points per BetMGM.
