TITLE: Heat Push Winning Streak to Seven; Bucks Skid Continues, Hawks Make It Eight Straight
SLUG: heat-stretch-run-bucks-struggles-hawks-roll
CONTENT:
MIAMI — The Miami Heat secured their seventh consecutive victory Thursday night, holding off the Milwaukee Bucks 112-105 at Kaseya Center.
Heat
Bam Adebayo, two nights removed from an 83-point showcase, delivered a more conventional 21 points with 12 coming in the fourth quarter. Rookie guard Pelle Larsson supplied the unexpected spark, pouring in a career-best 28 points and knocking down a late three-pointer after snagging a crucial defensive rebound to put the game out of reach.
Kasparas Jakucionis finished with 18 points, Davion Mitchell added 13, and first-year center Kelel Ware pulled down 13 rebounds. The Heat remain sixth in the Eastern Conference, trailing only the surging Orlando Magic, whom they will host Saturday.
Bucks
Milwaukee’s struggles persisted despite a healthy roster. Giannis Antetokounmpo topped all scorers with 31 points, Bobby Portis contributed 19, and Ryan Rollins registered 16 points and 10 assists. Antetokounmpo missed a wide-open three-pointer with 52 seconds remaining that would have tied the contest, and Larsson answered with the decisive bucket at the other end.
The Bucks have now dropped seven of their last eight outings. “We’ve had the starting group we opened the season with once—for five minutes,” head coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s just been one of those years.”
Hawks
In Atlanta, the Hawks extended the league’s longest current winning streak to eight by defeating the Brooklyn Nets 108-97. Jalen Johnson flirted with a triple-double, posting 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher scored 19, Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 18, and CJ McCollum chipped in 14.
Atlanta has climbed to eighth in the East, positioning itself as a dangerous opponent should it land in the play-in tournament.
Source: Hoops Wire
