Associated Press MILWAUKEE — The Miami Heat have the stars, the sun and South Beach. ADVERTISING Somehow, the Milwaukee Bucks have bragging rights. Brandon Jennings scored 31 points, including three 3-pointers in a critical stretch of the fourth quarter, and
Associated Press
MILWAUKEE — The Miami Heat have the stars, the sun and South Beach.
Somehow, the Milwaukee Bucks have bragging rights.
Brandon Jennings scored 31 points, including three 3-pointers in a critical stretch of the fourth quarter, and Milwaukee beat Miami 105-97 on Wednesday night for the Bucks’ second win over the Heat this season.
Even on a huge night for LeBron James — he scored a season-high 40 points, including a powerful windmill dunk destined for the highlight reels — Jennings and the Bucks walked away with a win.
And, apparently, a little bit of admiration from James.
“Me and LeBron looked at each other,” Jennings said. “I said, ’40?’ He said, ‘You’ve got 31, though.”‘
Jennings also had eight assists with no turnovers while Drew Gooden added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks, who have won three straight — including a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers last Saturday.
The Bucks also beat the Heat 91-82 in Miami on Jan. 22.
James had 24 points in the first quarter, the most points any player has scored in a quarter this season, according to STATS LLC. But he went cold in the second half.
“You always give credit where credit is due,” James said. “They made some shots in the third quarter and fourth quarter. They got back into it. They made a run. We held it as much as possible.”
Dwyane Wade added 23 points for the Heat, but it wasn’t enough.
“What that second half showed is we still have a long way to go as a ballclub just in terms of playing consistently,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We were playing very good basketball in the first half. It’s a fragile game. In this league it can go the other way quickly if you’re not staying consistent to your identity.”
Bucks fans chanted “overrated” in the final minutes of the game.
“We can’t just have an ordinary energy game, we have to have an extraordinary game against them,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. “The guys came out in the second half and really took it to them.”
Milwaukee trailed 60-47 at the half but closed the gap in the third quarter. The Heat went into the fourth with a 79-76 lead.
Ersan Ilyasova converted a three-point play to tie the score at the start of the fourth, and Jennings hit a running layup to give the Bucks an 81-79 lead with 11:06 left.
Milwaukee’s fourth-quarter run continued, and the Bucks led 87-82 when Luc Richard Mbah a Moute scored inside. The Heat than drew a shot-clock violation with the ball in James’ hands, and Jennings hit a 3-pointer on the other end to give Milwaukee a 90-82 lead with 6:40 to go.
After a pair of free throws by Gooden, Wade missed a contested layup, and Jennings hit another 3-pointer.
James missed a long jumper — and Jennings drilled yet another 3, giving the Bucks a 98-82 lead.
With Milwaukee later leading 101-92, James was called for traveling in transition with just over two minutes left.
James shot 5 for 12 in the second half.
“He’s not easy to stop,” Jennings said. “He got it going early, but I think we did a great job (in the) second half, just countering him on everything.”
A large part of the credit goes to Mbah a Moute, the Bucks’ defensive ace.
“It’s a tough job, going against those guys,” Mbah a Moute said. “But it’s a fun job, too. Those guys are the best and it’s always fun to play against the best.”
Wednesday’s game had all the makings of a Heat blowout early on, thanks to James. Already off to a sizzling start, James finished the first quarter in memorable fashion.
“The first half, it felt like LeBron was going to go for like 60 or whatever,” Jennings said.
With under a minute left in the quarter, he took the ball away from Milwaukee’s Beno Udrih, took a couple of steps and finished with a powerful windmill dunk with 32.9 seconds left in the quarter.
As if that wasn’t enough, James then hit a 3 with 2.2 seconds left in the quarter.
James’ huge dunk drew a gasp, then a roar from the crowd. It even had a pair of Bradley Center ushers recreating the dunk during the first-quarter break.
But the Heat couldn’t keep the lead.
“I don’t think we relaxed,” Wade said. “They played well. Give them credit. I’m not taking anything away from the Bucks.”
TRAIL BLAZERS 112,
BOBCATS 68
PORTLAND, Ore. — Jamal Crawford scored 24 points in 21 minutes, helping the Portland Trail Blazers rout Charlotte 112-68 on Wednesday night for the Bobcats’ 10th straight loss and the worst in franchise history.
Gerald Wallace, traded to the Blazers from Charlotte last year, scored 23 points while LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 before Portland sat all of its starters in the fourth quarter.
CLIPPERS 107, JAZZ 105
SALT LAKE CITY — Chris Paul scored a season-high 34 points and Blake Griffin added 31 as Los Angeles snapped a 16-game losing streak in Utah.
It was the Clippers’ first win in Salt Lake City since 2003, including a 108-79 loss here on Jan. 17.
76ERS 98, BULLS 82
PHILADELPHIA — Andre Iguodala helped Philadelphia stamp itself as a rising threat in the East, scoring 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds in win over Chicago.
Iguodala outplayed Derrick Rose and stuffed a month’s worth of highlight video activity into one game. His one-handed dunks, around-the-back passes, and big 3s helped the Sixers lead the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls by 20 at the end of the third quarter.
MAGIC 109, WIZARDS 103
ORLANDO, Fla. — Ryan Anderson scored 23 points, including six 3-pointers, to help Orlando snap a four-game losing streak.
Dwight Howard and J.J. Redick added 21 points each for the Magic, who beat Washington for the eighth straight time.
CELTICS 100, RAPTORS 64
BOSTON — Paul Pierce had 17 points and eight assists and Boston crept above .500 for the second time this season.
Ray Allen and Brandon Bass added 12 points apiece and Avery Bradley scored 11 for the Celtics, who never let go of the lead once Allen’s layup 16 seconds into the game put Boston up 2-0.
NETS 99, PISTONS 96
NEWARK, N.J. — Deron Williams scored 26 points to lead New Jersey.
Kris Humphries had 18 points, Jordan Farmar added 15 and Shawne Williams 15 for the Nets.
PACERS 109,
TIMBERWOLVES 99
MINNEAPOLIS — Danny Granger scored 29 of his 36 points in the second half to help Indiana beat Minnesota.
Granger also grabbed seven rebounds and hit 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and Darren Collison thoroughly out-played Ricky Rubio with 20 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Pacers, who topped 100 points for just the second time this season.
SUNS 120, HORNETS 103
NEW ORLEANS — Steve Nash had a season-high 30 points and 10 assists, becoming Phoenix’s franchise assists leader.
Nash increased his assists total to 6,522 with the Suns, passing Kevin Johnson’s mark of 6,518.
THUNDER 95,
MAVERICKS 86
DALLAS — Russell Westbrook scored 33 points, Kevin Durant added 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka had a career-high 10 blocks for Oklahoma City.
James Harden had 10 points off the bench for the Thunder.
SPURS 99, ROCKETS 91
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan scored 25 points and Tony Parker added 24 to help San Antonio rally past Houston.
The Spurs, who trailed by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, have won two straight and improved to 11-1 at home. Gary Neal had 15 for San Antonio, which split the four-game season series with the Rockets, who have lost two straight.
