The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat on November 28 by seven points thanks to 33 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo and 32 points from Damian Lillard. However, it was Khris Middleton who closed the game late in the fourth quarter.
With the score tied at 118, Middleton made a jumper to give the Bucks a two-point lead with 2:15 left in regulation. Middleton then made another jump shot to give Milwaukee a four-point lead with 1:38 left. He also threw a perfect alley-oop pass to Antetokounmpo at the 1:18 mark. Antetokounmpo got fouled and made both shots at the foul line.
“I knew (Khris) would at least have a step on (his defender) and the guy was on him, he almost hit the ball,” Lillard said of Middleton’s shot. “I haven’t been on his team to see it, but I’ve seen it just watching games and I know he’s comfortable in those situations. I know he’s a gamer. So, once I saw him coming open, I knew that was the shot we were going to get. I just wanted to make sure I could get it to him, and he ran through the pass and hit a tough shot. That’s what good players do.”
Middleton finished with 17 points and eight rebounds against the Heat while shooting 7-of-13 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
“We’ve talked about it many times, just throw it in a place that only I can get it and I’m going to try to go get it,” Antetokounmpo said. “Sometimes, it’s going to be too high and I’m not going be able to get it, but damn sure nobody else next to me is going to get that ball.”
Added Lillard: “That play is one of the more impressive plays to me, just to throw that jump ball up there like that. That’s a play where it wasn’t wide open, but he knew there was only one person that was going to get this ball and you take that type of chance because they have that type of chemistry. He understands who he’s playing with.”
The Bucks improved to 13-5 on the season after beating the Heat. They are in second place in the Eastern Conference standings and Antetokounmpo is very pleased with the team’s offense.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
“For me, it’s like heaven when you have two guys that can create their own shot and, down the stretch, I don’t have to make something happen and I can just be like the guy that sets the screen and rolls and kind of play the second side and play behind the defense,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s great. My whole career, it’s been that way. Past couple of years, Jrue (Holiday) and Khris was able to do that and now we have also have Khris and Dame that they can do that.”
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