The Miami Heat beat the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks 137-95 on Thursday night, with Tyler Herro scoring 27 points in 24 minutes off the bench and Jimmy Butler adding 21.
The Heat, led by Bam Adebayo’s 20 points and 13 rebounds, set new opening-night scoring and margin-of-victory records. In terms of margin of victory, it was close to the Los Angeles Clippers’ 43-point victory in 1994.
Milwaukee was led by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 15 points and Grayson Allen’s 14 points. Despite being without the likes of Jrue Holiday), Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis, Olympic gold medalistr Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 10 points on 4-for-14 shooting.
P.J. Tucker got eight points and six rebounds in his Miami Heat debut, which came against the club he helped win the NBA title.
Only 38 seconds after tip-off, Tucker reintroduced Antetokounmpo to the game by fouling him. When he flew airborne after a lost ball in the second quarter, Tucker said hello to fans in the sold-out arena.
The Heat went on a 19-0 run to start the game, and Herro hit a 35-footer at the buzzer to give Miami a 40-17 lead they would extend to 72-43 at halftime. Milwaukee missed 13 consecutive shots and committed four turnovers in a nine-minute span in the first quarter. As time expired in the first half, the Bucks were within three points of the Heat (53-38).
Herro’s 27 points in 25 minutes or fewer were a Heat record for a reserve. On February 27, 2019, Goran Dragic scored 27 points in 20 minutes against the Golden State Warriors; on February 27, 2018, Dwyane Wade scored 27 points in 25 minutes against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Miami led by 33 points when the Bucks took their starters out of the game with 5:01 left in the third quarter. Only Antetokounmpo remained in the game. Allen and George Hill made a brief comeback, but players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton were forced to leave the party too early.
Miami Heat: The Heat have a 19-15 record after opening the season strong. Miami Heat rookie Kyle Lowry returned quickly after spraining his ankle early in the second quarter. He shot 1 of 8 for five points, six rebounds, and two blocks.
The Heat observed a moment of silence before the game in honor of Heat captain Haslem’s father, Johnnie Haslem. The senior Haslem, a former All-American baseball star in high school, college, and the minor leagues, passed away this past summer at the age of 70.
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