Tyler Herro scored 29 points as the Miami Heat survived a late rally to beat the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 106-103 in their NBA Cup East Group C clash on Wednesday.
Herro, who also dished seven assists, scored 11 in the fourth quarter while Bam Adebayo paired 17 points and 11 rebounds in Miami’s sixth consecutive win.
Ryan Rollins posted 26 points, Myles Turner had 24, and Gary Trent Jr. added 15 (on 5-of-12 shooting from 3-point range) as Milwaukee, without Giannis Antetokounmpo for a fourth successive game due to a left groin strain, suffered its sixth straight defeat.
The Heat led at every break, by 12 midway through the final period and 102-91 with 3:43 to play. That’s when Rollins and Turner led a 10-2 Bucks charge to close the gap to three points.
An Adebayo floater put Miami up 106-101 with 55 seconds left before Rollins converted while being fouled at the other end.
His bonus free throw was unsuccessful, but he rebounded his own miss and kicked to Trent for a missed 3-point try.
Herro missed a stepback at the other end that gave Milwaukee one more shot at leveling the score, but Turner was unable to hit a late contested shot from deep.
The opening period contained eight lead changes. The Bucks were up 12-6 early before the Heat finished it ahead, 29-27.
Kel’el Ware, who came off the bench, scored 11 points in the second quarter to help Miami’s advantage grow to 45-36.
Milwaukee connected on just 6 of 22 from the floor for the quarter, but still managed to keep the Heat in relative check at the other end as Miami took a 53-47 lead into the half.
The Heat shot 4 of 19 from 3-point range across the first two frames.
Turner and Rollins were prolific during a third-quarter rally from the Bucks, who pinched a 71-68 lead on a Rollins 3-pointer.
Norman Powell put Miami back in front again and the Heat led 81-77 after three.
