UNDATED (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks are one win away from advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs following a blowout win over the Miami Heat. And the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets have 2-1 leads in their respective series.
Khris Middleton scored 22 points, and Jrue Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo had double-doubles as the Bucks rolled to a 113-84 victory over the Heat. Holiday finished with 19 points and 12 assists, while Antetokounmpo added 17 points and 17 rebounds. Brook Lopez chipped in 13 points for the Bucks, who have won their last two games by a combined 63 points.
Jimmy Butler scored 19 points and Bam Adebayo had 17 for the Heat.
Miami will try to avoid elimination when it hosts Game 4 on Saturday.
The Lakers celebrated their first home playoff game in more than eight years with a 109-95 victory over the Suns.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James continue to round back into shape after both missed significant action in the second half of the regular season. Davis scored 18 in the third quarter while staking the Lakers to a 17-point lead. Davis finished with 34 points and 11 rebounds, while James added 21 points and nine assists.
Dennis Schröder added 20 points in the Lakers’ second straight win.
Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the second-seeded Suns, who are in an early hole in their first postseason series in 11 years. Devin Booker scored 19 points on 6-of-19 shooting, and the star guard was ejected with 35.4 seconds to play after committing a flagrant foul against Schröder.
In Portland, Nikola Jokic had 36 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets in a 120-115 victory over the Trail Blazers.
Austin Rivers hit four consecutive 3 pointers during a crucial stretch in the final quarter. He finished with 21 points for third-seeded Denver, which had 20 3s overall.
Rivers’ third straight 3-pointer put the Nuggets up 102-94 with 3:49 left.
Blazers guard Damian Lillard led all scorers with 37 points.
Game 4 is Saturday in Portland.
