Heat rebound from embarrassing defeat with win over Bucks

Goran Dragic of the Miami Heat celebrates with Gabe Vincent after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 119-108 at American Airlines Arena on December 30, 2020 in Miami, Florida.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES – The Miami Heat rebounded from an embarrassing 47-point loss to Milwaukee with a 119-108 NBA victory over the Bucks on Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time).

The Heat didn't have to wait long for revenge as they hosted the Bucks for the second straight night.

Goran Dragic came off the bench to lead Miami with 26 points, Bam Adebayo added 22 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists and Tyler Herro scored 21 points with a career-best 15 rebounds as the Heat rallied to stave off another home defeat.

The Bucks had dominated on Tuesday with an NBA-record 29 three-pointers in their 144-97 triumph.

The Bucks, fueled by a triple-double of 26 points 13 rebounds and 10 assists from two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, looked like making it two wins in a row when they led by 14 in the third quarter.

Donte DiVincenzo scored 15 points and Jrue Holiday added 13 for the Bucks, but the Heat rallied despite missing Jimmy Butler for the second straight game.

Herro's 3-pointer to end the third quarter pulled Miami within three points.

Dragic tied it with another 3-pointer and Miami seized the lead for good when they went ahead 96-93 on Kelly Olynyk's trey with 9:04 remaining.

"You want to constantly develop some grit and toughness during the course of a long season, and our guys responded in an appropriate fashion," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Before the game, Spoelstra said there was "a lot of anger and frustration" within the Heat.

"As well there should have been," he said. "And then today was just about getting to work and preparing and doing what we need to do to have a better version."

In other early games, Brooklyn's Kyrie Irving scored 17 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Kevin Durant added 33 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as the Nets dealt the Atlanta Hawks their first defeat of the young season, 145-141.

Irving missed all seven of his three-point attempts in the first three quarters — when he was just 3-of-16 from the field — but finally got untracked with three baskets from beyond the arc in the final period.

Trae Young scored 30 points with 11 assists for the Hawks and John Collins added 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Atlanta led for much of the first three quarters, but couldn't extend their 3-0 start to the season as seven Nets players scored in double figures.

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