The Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday set an NBA record for three-pointers in a game, draining 29 from beyond the arc in a 144-97 win over the Miami Heat.
The Heat — who stunned the top-seeded Bucks in the second round of last season’s Eastern Conference playoffs en route to the NBA Finals — never had a chance, as they trailed by as many as 51 in a game that Milwaukee led all the way.
Sam Merrill drilled the record-breaking 28th three-pointer of the game, surpassing the 27 set by the Houston Rockets against the Phoenix Suns on April 7 last year.
Photo: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY
Jrue Holiday made six three-pointers on the way to 24 points, while Khris Middleton, who led the Bucks with 25 points, was four of five from three-point range.
Starting guard Donte DiVincenzo’s 17 points included five three-pointers, while Brook Lopez had three three-pointers on the way to 14 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only Bucks starter not to make a three-pointer, coming up empty on two attempts in a nine-point performance.
His brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, drained one three-pointer for the family on the way to five points off the bench for the Bucks, who simply steamrolled the Heat, who were without injured forward Jimmy Butler.
“Honestly, [we] just played hard,” Holiday said. “We know the Heat way, and how they’re going to come out and play no matter who’s playing.”
It was a bounce-back win for the Bucks, who were blown out 130-110 by hosts the New York Knicks on Sunday.
“Last game in New York, we didn’t show what we wanted to show,” Holiday said.
They left no doubt in this one, leading by as many as 24 points on the way to a 46-26 first-quarter lead, and never let up.
“Some nights, the basketball golds are with you a little bit, and it was probably one of those nights for us,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “But I liked our defense, too.”
The Bucks’ previous record for three-pointers in a game was 22, against the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 4, 2018.
The most that the Heat had given up before was 24.
“It looked like they had been thinking about this game for 80 days,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team got the chance to avenge the defeat when they hosted the Bucks again yesterday.
The Los Angeles Clippers also rebounded from a big defeat.
Two days after a 124-73 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the Clippers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-101.
Lou Williams scored 20 points off the bench, leading seven Clippers players with double figures.
“We knew coming tonight we had to do better,” said Clippers center Serge Ibaka, who scored 16 points. “We had to be aggressive.”
The Philadelphia 76ers, coming off a lopsided loss to Cleveland, beat the Toronto Raptors 100-93.
Center Joel Embiid, who sat out Sunday’s 24-point loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers with a tight back, led the Sixers with 29 points and 16 rebounds.
Elsewhere, Julius Randle posted a triple-double of 28 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Knicks to a 95-86 victory over the Cavaliers.
Russell Westbrook’s 21 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists again went for nothing, as his Washington Wizards fell 115-107 to the Chicago Bulls.
Denver center Nikola Jokic also had a triple-double in a losing effort — his 26 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists not enough in the Nuggets’ 125-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings, who were led by the 24 points of De’Aaron Fox.
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