The last time these teams met, the Miami Heat surprised the best-placed Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the playoffs en route to the NBA finals.
The Bucks clearly had Tuesday on their calendar.
Milwaukee opened Tuesday’s rematch with a 12-0 run on the way to a 46-26 lead at the end of the first period. By the time it was over, Milwaukee scored a 144-97 victory and set a new NBA record with 29 3 points.
TNT cuts out blowout
The break was so strong that TNT – which broadcast the game nationwide – threw in the towel when the Bucks increased their lead to 93-62 in the third quarter.
“There are a lot of games going on in the NBA, ten of them actually,” said announcer Brian Anderson, when the broadcast came back from the commercial break. “This doesn’t seem to be one of them.”
He then played it for studio presenter Ernie Johnson.
“Call us when we reach 15 or 20,” replied Johnson before Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal played while watching other league games.
They started with the Philadelphia 76ers’ game against the Toronto Raptors and moved on from there, watching several games from the crowded NBA.
They also watched Stephen Curry’s video shooting 3 points in a gym.
Bucks-Heat never returned to 15 or 20. TNT continued to make its transmission rounds. Although it checked in the middle of the fourth quarter, after the Bucks set the new record 3 points in a game.
Each Buck, except Giannis, connects remotely
Reserve guard Sam Merrill hit the Bucks’ 28th 3-point basket with 6:07 remaining to break the record. He was the 12th Buck to connect long distance in the effort.
In fact, Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only player in the entire Bucks squad who failed to hit from a distance. The current MVP was one of the few Bucks players who didn’t catch fire, hitting 3 of 9 attempts at field goal while recording nine points, six rebounds and six assists.
The Bucks star’s night off was no problem for his teammates. Seven Bucks players scored in double digits, led by 25 from Khris Middleton and 24 from Jrue Holiday.
Holiday led the 3-point dam with a 6 out of 10 long distance effort. Donte DiVincenzo added five feats of 3 points and Middleton made four. Seven Bucks players connected at least two 3-point points while the Bucks hit 29 out of 51 (56.9 percent) from long distance.
Tyler Herro led the Miami effort with 23 points. The Heat played without Jimmy Butler, who was sidelined with an ankle injury. But he was not saving them from that 47 point defeat.
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