NBA Roundup: Bucks Burn Under Miami's Heat and the LA Clippers

Middleton hit a game-high 25 points, four assists and three rebounds in 37 minutes (FG 43.8%), his team followed suit, finding space for their shooters who knocked down 14 of 30 threes before intermission, taking a 17-point halftime lead.

Four more points for Milwaukee early in the third welcomed a 21-point gap, the largest margin of the game. However, the momentum was not set to last as the Bucks lost their defence to Heat’s backcourt of Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro, who tightened up the gap over the quarter. Nunn fouled out in OT sitting on 18 points (8-17 FG, 2-8 3Pt), adding five assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block in 29 minutes.

The absence of Jimmy Butler and Dion Waiters (suspension) didn’t faze the Heat as Goran Dragic, Kelly Olynyk and Bam Adebayo took the reins in the final quarter, shredding the Bucks with the pick-and-roll. Miami achieved a 30-point turnaround after a 10-1 run saw back-to-back three by Olynyk and began to profit off the back of Bucks’ sloppy defence and inaccurate shooters (3 of 24 after halftime).

With seconds left in regulation, Khris Middleton was tasked with the game-winning corner three when an airball saw Antetokounmpo tipping the Bucks into OT with two points. The Greek freak had peaked this game getting fouled out with just over two minutes left in OT for the consecutive game this season, shy of his second triple-double.

The reigning MVP headed to the bench with 29 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists, but also eight of the 18 Bucks turnovers - which Heat capitalised on with 27 points.

Antetokounmpo’s departure at a tied scoreboard signalled a devastating decline for Milwaukee as Drogic dropped six of his 25 points in OT and fouled out George Hill in the process. Brook Lopez missed his hook shot, Eric Bledsoe got called for a travel on a drive, then Lopez and Kyle Korver missed their threes.

Middleton provided a lifeline for the Bucks by getting fouled on a three, making all his shots with 20.5 seconds left. But, handed a three with 5.6 seconds left, the small forward fired off an over-hyped corner three which rolled off the rim and hit the floor as the final buzzer marked a victory for the Heat.

Suns 130, Clippers 122

After the LA Clippers put Golden State in the ground earlier this week, Phoenix Suns – who’s starting centre, Deandre Ayton, had just been suspended for 25 games - posed little threat for Kawhi and co in Saturday night’s fixture.

Following a one-point loss to the Nuggets the night before, an extraordinary turn of events saw Phoenix crush the NBA's preseason championship favourites 130-122. Devin Booker and Kelly Oubre Jr led the Suns with 30 and 20 points respectively.

The Clippers were led by Montrezl Harrell's 28 points - 9 of 10 from the field and 10 of 11 on free throws- and Leonard’s 27 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.

Tied at 55 by halftime, the Suns stepped it up with Frank Kaminsky III and Jevon Carter racking up 17 points between them during a rampage which secured a 91-85 lead by the close of the third.

The Suns 15-point lead midway through the fourth quarter was challenged by a Clippers’ rally: Lou Williams shot back-to-back 3-pointers and Leonard splashed a three with less than two minutes on the clock, leaving the gap at six. But the Suns' rebuttal came in the form of Tyler Johnson who hit his own 3-pointer.

Saturday's Results:

Rockets 126, Pelicans 123

Surpassing Magic Johnson, Houston's Russell Westbrook notched 28 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists for his 139th triple-double, second-highest in NBA history.

Brandon Ingram held it down for the Pelicans, with a lethal combination of 35 points and 15 rebounds - both game highs. New Orleans was without guard Jrue Holiday due to injury and even Lonzo Ball's 18 points and 10 assists, supported by JJ Redick's 14 points, weren't enough to tip the score as the Pelicans suffered another defeat (0-3 this season).

76ers 117, Pistons 111

Philadelphia's victory over the Detroit Pistons moves them to 2-0 this season, despite losing Allstar centre Joel Embiid after 23 minutes to a right ankle sprain. Tobias Harris stepped up in his absence to secure 29 points and seven rebounds as point guard Ben Simmons recorded his career-high seven steals, sweetened by 13 points and 10 assists.

Derrick Rose led the way for the Pistons, scoring 31 points off the bench, as Markieff Morris and Luke Kennard added 17 and 16 points respectively.