DAMIAN Lillard scored 37 points and dished out 12 assists as the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host Miami Heat 106-103 in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night (Wednesday in Manila).
Lillard made 10 of 17 shots from the floor, including 8 of 13 from 3-point range, as Milwaukee won a fifth straight game.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who leads the NBA in scoring (32.4 points per game), missed the contest due to swelling in his left knee. In addition, three-time All-Star Khris Middleton has yet to play this season for Milwaukee due to surgery on both of his ankles.
Miami, 1-2 in East Group B, was led by Jimmy Butler’s 23 points. Tyler Herro added 18. Terry Rozier returned after missing two games due to an injury to his right foot. He finished with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, going 3-for-4 from deep.
In other games, it was the Rockets 117, Wolves 111 (OT); Suns 127, Lakers 100; Bulls 127, Wizards 108; and Spurs 128, Jazz 115.
Rockets 117, Wolves 111 (OT)
Alperen Sengun tallied a triple-double and Houston outlasted Minnesota in an in-season tournament matchup in Minneapolis.
Sengun amassed 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds while Fred VanVleet finished with 27 points and 11 assists for Houston, which clinched the West Group A title with a 3-0 mark and will advance to the quarterfinals. Dillon Brooks scored 22 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. finished with 19 points on 8-for-9 shooting.
Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards produced 29 points and 10 rebounds, but his last-second shot attempt to win the game in regulation rimmed in and out of the basket. Julius Randle scored 21 points and Naz Reid contributed 19 off the bench for the Timberwolves, who fell to 1-2 in West Group A.
Suns 127, Lakers 100
Devin Booker recorded 26 points and 10 assists as Phoenix halted a five-game losing streak with a convincing victory over visiting Los Angeles.
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 23 points in their returns from calf injuries. The Suns went 1-6 without Durant and 0-5 without Beal.
Anthony Davis had 25 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots and LeBron James had 18 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as the Lakers lost their third straight game. James made two 3-pointers to move into a tie for seventh place on the all-time list with Kyle Korver (2,450 threes).
