Damian Lillard contributed an exceptional 37 points as Milwaukee Bucks eked out a hard-earned 106-103 victory over Miami Heat in their Tuesday NBA Cup group stage contest. Without Giannis Antetokounmpo, rested on the bench due to knee injury, Lillard showed class by making 10-of-17 field goals, with 8-of-13 behind the arc, and had 12 assists to make sure Milwaukee won its third group victory in a row.
Despite building a 22-point lead in the third quarter, the Bucks were pushed to the brink as Miami stormed back with a 26-9 run to close the period, cutting the deficit to five. The Heat tied the game at 96-96 with just over four minutes remaining, but Lillard’s poise and timely plays ensured Milwaukee held on.
Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier had opportunities to swing the game Miami’s way in the final moments, but crucial misses allowed Milwaukee to seal the win with two late free throws from Taurean Prince. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 23 points, while Rozier’s late efforts were not enough to prevent Miami’s fall to 1-2 in group play.
Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets secured a place in the quarterfinals, overcoming the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-111 in overtime, winning the West Group A. Turkish center Alperen Sengun finished with a triple-double of 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Fred VanVleet added 27 points. Reserve Amen Thompson nailed the victory with his heroics late in the game, including a crucial basket to force overtime and then a 3-pointer in extra time.
Elsewhere, Victor Wembanyama scored 34 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 128-115 win over the Utah Jazz to knock off Utah’s NBA Cup hopes. In Phoenix, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal made their returns from injury to help lead the Suns in dominating the defending champions, Los Angeles Lakers 127-100. Devin Booker led the Suns with 26 points and added 10 assists.
The action-packed night also saw the Chicago Bulls cruise past the Washington Wizards 127-108, with Coby White scoring 21 points and Nikola Vucevic adding 19 points and 12 rebounds.
