The Milwaukee Bucks suffered a 106-103 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday night in NBA Cup group play, marking their first defeat in the tournament and extending their losing streak to six games. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his fourth straight game due to a left adductor strain, leaving the Bucks without their star forward. The defeat ties the team's longest losing streak in the last decade.
In Miami, the Bucks trailed by 12 points midway through the fourth quarter and by eight with under two minutes left, but mounted a comeback that brought them within striking distance. With 22 seconds remaining and the shot clock off, coach Doc Rivers chose not to call a timeout, allowing point guard Ryan Rollins to advance the ball. A blitz from Heat center Bam Adebayo forced the ball loose, leading to a swing pass and a tying three-point attempt from Myles Turner, which missed long and was rebounded by Miami to seal the 106-103 victory.
Tyler Herro led the Heat with 29 points, five rebounds, and seven assists in his second game of the season. Turner had a season-high 24 points for the Bucks on 9-of-15 shooting, as Milwaukee targeted him in the lane against Miami's defensive switches. After reviewing the final possession, Turner noted Gary Trent Jr. was open in the corner but believed his shot was a solid choice given the late closeout.
"I loved it, loved the call. Would do it again," Rivers said of the no-timeout decision. "I thought we could have moved the ball. We had time. But other than that, I loved how we played."
Antetokounmpo, listed as questionable, was held out for his fourth consecutive game with the adductor strain. Rivers supported the decision, saying, "I was not in favor (of him playing). I was very happy we decided what we decided." The Bucks, now 8-11 overall and 2-1 in Group C, face the New York Knicks on Friday in their group finale. Both teams are 2-1, with the Knicks able to win the group via a victory, while Milwaukee can advance as the East's wild card if they win and improve their plus-13 point differential.