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The Bucks will keep Antetokounmpo out of the NBA Cup game against Miami due to swelling in his left knee

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the top scorer in the league this season, was unexpectedly left out of the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA Cup game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night due to swelling in his left knee.

Antetokounmpo was expected to play until about an hour before the game. Initially, the team had listed him as probable because of a strained left calf, but the knee problem seemed to flare up.

“I never know,” said Bucks coach Doc Rivers, about 90 minutes before the game, after the team reported the knee issue. “Honestly, that’s breaking news to me, too, right now.”

Despite Antetokounmpo’s absence, the Bucks won the game 106-103, with Damian Lillard scoring 37 points and providing 12 assists. Milwaukee outscored Miami 60-30 from the three-point line.

Rivers learned about an hour before the game that Antetokounmpo wouldn’t play, so he met with the coaching staff and adjusted the game plan. Even after the game, Rivers was unsure of what had happened with Antetokounmpo’s knee.

“Giannis doesn’t miss many games,” Rivers said. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it was the right thing to do.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks the ball into the basket

Milwaukee’s next game is against Washington on Saturday. According to the NBA’s player participation policy, which started last season, teams must have star players for all national television and NBA In-Season Tournament games unless they have an approved reason for the player’s absence.

Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, is certainly considered a star player, and the game in Miami was both nationally televised and part of the NBA Cup. Earlier Tuesday, the NBA fined the Atlanta Hawks $100,000 for not allowing Trae Young to play in a Cup game against Boston on Nov. 12, after an investigation determined he could have played.

Antetokounmpo, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week, is having a career season with an average of 32.4 points per game on 61% shooting. He has played in 16 of Milwaukee’s first 17 games.

“Listen, the way he plays and how he works, there’s going to be things like this,” Rivers said. “And when they come, you just deal with them.”

Heat rally in overtime to secure win against Mavericks

Jimmy Butler scored 33 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and handed out six assists as the Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks 123-118 in overtime on Sunday night.

Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 27 points and six assists. P.J. Washington contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Naji Marshall scored 19 of his 20 points in the second half. Dereck Lively II had a double-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.

Klay Thompson, who had struggled with shooting in Dallas’ win over Denver on Friday, bounced back with 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting.

The Mavericks played without Luka Dončić, the reigning NBA scoring champion, who was sidelined with a wrist injury.

Miami, which had been off since Monday, had strong performances from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Adebayo finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Herro added 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The Heat took the lead for good on Adebayo’s 3-pointer, making it 120-118 with 2:54 left in overtime. Dallas missed its final seven shots, and after Lively’s dunk gave the Mavericks a brief 118-117 lead with 3:21 remaining, Miami held on.

Adebayo was 3-of-6 from beyond the arc as the Heat shot 34.1 percent (14-of-41) from 3-point range. Dallas, on the other hand, hit just 10 of 40 threes (25 percent) and shot 41.9 percent overall.

Dallas’ first lead since the opening quarter came when Irving hit a 3-pointer to make it 106-103 with 4:34 left in the game. The Mavericks held a one-point lead when Irving stepped to the free-throw line with 8.2 seconds left but made only 1 of 2 free throws, leaving the door open for Miami.

Butler took advantage, dunking off a pass from Duncan Robinson with 4.3 seconds left, tying the game and sending it to overtime after Spencer Dinwiddie’s last-second 3-point attempt missed.

Dinwiddie finished with seven points but had a rough shooting night, going 1-for-12 from the field, including 0-for-9 from 3-point range.

The game saw three lead changes in the first quarter, which ended with Miami ahead 33-28. Dallas missed its last six shots of the period, allowing the Heat to close the quarter on a 9-0 run.

Miami shot poorly in the second quarter, hitting only 28.6 percent of their shots, including 1-for-10 from beyond the arc. Despite this, they led 56-51 at halftime.

Both teams scored 23 points in the second quarter, and the third period ended in a 33-33 tie, leaving Miami with an 89-84 advantage heading into the final quarter.