Milwaukee (AP)— The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Miami Heat 122-114 on Monday night after Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 and Damian Lillard scored 25.
The Heat were missing two-time All-Star center Bam Adebayo, who hurt his hip Saturday at Minnesota.
Heat leader Tyler Herro scored 35.
The postseason and offseason connections between these teams made this game more intriguing than a regular October clаsh.
Last season, the Heat defeated the top-seeded Bucks in five games in the first round. The Heat advanced from the play-in round to the NBA Finals, and the Bucks fired Mike Budenholzer and hired Adrian Griffin after the upset.
Milwaukee made the greatest offseason move by obtaining seven-time all-NBA guard Damian Lillard, who requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers to play for the Heat.
Miami won the playoffs over Milwaukee after tremendous comebacks in the last two games, and the Heat rallied down the stretch on Monday. Even with playoff hero Jimmy Butler and most of their starters benched, the Heat made this fourth-quarter run.
Miami reached single digits after trailing 103-78 with 10 1/2 minutes left. Duncan Robinson’s jumper trimmed the lead to 115-109 with 1:22 left.
With 1:16 left, Antetokounmpo made a three-point play, and the Bucks led by six the rest of the way.
Miami beаt the Bucks 30-13 in the final six minutes to win Game 4 last year 119-114. After trailing 16 points in the fourth quarter, the Heat won 128-126 in overtime.