Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, left, uses his fist to bump the hand of Jrue Holiday (21) during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, left and forward Udonis Haslem watch during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives to the basket as Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton (24) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
MIAMI (AP) — On Sunday, the Milwaukee Bucks endured their worst 3-point effort in just over a year.
On Tuesday, they set the NBA record for 3’s in a game.
Go figure.
The Bucks made a record 29 3-pointers in their 144-97 romp past the reigning Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat on Tuesday night. They shot 29 for 51 from beyond the arc, two nights after going 7 for 38 in a loss to New York.
Milwaukee used 13 players and 12 made at least one 3-pointer — the only person who didn’t get onto that list being two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, in what will go down as nothing more than an interesting footnote in Bucks history. Khris Middleton had four 3’s on his way to 25 points, Jrue Holiday made six 3’s in his 24-point night and Donte DiVincenzo was 5-for-6 from deep to finish with 17 points.
Antetokounmpo had only nine points. Didn’t matter much. Everything else was stat night for Milwaukee.
The record-breaker was made by Sam Merrill, who got the 28th 3-pointer with 6:07 remaining, giving the Bucks a 131-86 lead.
The previous record for 3’s in a game was 27, set by the Houston Rockets against the Phoenix Suns on April 7, 2019. Milwaukee’s previous most was 22, against Sacramento on Nov. 4, 2018. The most previously allowed in a game by Miami was 24, on Feb. 5 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Tyler Herro scored 23 points for the Heat. Miami’s Jimmy Butler missed the game with a sprained right ankle.
It was the biggest road win in Bucks history, topping the 39-point margin at New York on April 10, 1987. The 47-point margin matched the second-worst loss in Heat history; they lost 138-91 to Pat Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers in the eighth game of Miami’s first season.