MIL 128, MIA 117: Kevin Porter Jr. Tops Scoring Fest
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Bucks 128, Heat 117: Kevin Porter Jr. Absolutely Went Off, But Giannis' Absence Changed Everything
Alright, so the Bucks won at home 128-117 against Miami last night, and on the surface it looks clean. But here's what actually happened: Milwaukee rolled out a completely different roster than usual, and Kevin Porter Jr. basically said "I got this." The Heat fought back hard in stretches, but couldn't overcome Porter's explosion and the Bucks' bench depth going absolutely nuclear.
Let's talk about what went down.
Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Porter Jr. | 67.0 | 58.9 | 32/7/7 | 18.2/5.1/7.6 | +13.8 |
| Andrew Wiggins | 50.0 | 45.1 | 16/8/5 | 16.1/5.1/2.8 | -0.1 |
| Ryan Rollins | 42.0 | 38.3 | 21/4/5 | 17.2/4.6/5.4 | +3.8 |
| Bam Adebayo | 36.0 | 36.8 | 18/9/2 | 18.3/9.8/2.9 | -0.3 |
| Norman Powell | 22.0 | 30.2 | 26/6/0 | 22.9/3.6/2.6 | +3.1 |
| Davion Mitchell | 36.0 | 29.2 | 8/6/8 | 9.0/2.6/7.1 | -1.0 |
| Kel'el Ware | 28.0 | 26.6 | 14/8/0 | 11.4/9.4/0.5 | +2.6 |
| Ousmane Dieng | 32.0 | 25.7 | 11/6/1 | 4.8/2.1/1.1 | +6.2 |
| Jericho Sims | 28.0 | 25.5 | 8/10/5 | 3.8/4.5/1.0 | +4.2 |
| Tyler Herro | 22.0 | 25.4 | 14/2/6 | 20.9/4.5/3.2 | -6.9 |
Kevin Porter Jr.: 58.9 Yahoo FP and It Wasn't Even Close
Kevin Porter Jr. went absolutely OFF for 32 points on 11-20 shooting. That's 13.8 points above his season average, and honestly, this felt like the game he's been waiting for. 7 assists, 2 steals, perfect from the free throw line (8-8). The guy was 36 minutes of pure violence on offense.
Here's the thing though: I need to pump the brakes on acting like this is his new baseline. Porter's a talented scorer when he gets his looks, but he's not a consistent 32-point guy. This was a great game. A really great game. But it's one game. The reason he went off this hard is partly because the Heat's perimeter defense was scrambled with some of their guys managing different roles. If you own him, keep him. If you're thinking about trading for him, cool, but don't overpay expecting 58 Yahoo FP every night. That's not how it works.
The Bucks' Bench Explosion (And Where's Giannis?)
I'm gonna be real with you since I'm a Bucks fan and this is my team: Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play. Zero minutes. I don't have injury details in front of me, but this is a game day absence from an All-NBA player, which is significant. The Bucks still won because their role guys stepped up huge.
Ryan Rollins gave you 21/4/5 on 9-16 shooting. That's +3.8 from his season average. Ousmane Dieng went 4-6 from the field with 3 threes, turning in 11/6 with 2 steals. Jericho Sims was a monster off the bench with 8/10/5 and 4-4 from the field. Bobby Portis threw in 21 points on 8-14 shooting with 5 threes.
This is the kind of depth game that happens when your best player is out. It doesn't mean these performances are repeatable. Rollins, Dieng, and Sims are not guys you're starting in most leagues next week when Giannis comes back. But for tonight, they absolutely delivered, and that's how Milwaukee still gets a W at home.
The Heat Couldn't Build Momentum
Miami had some bright spots. Andrew Wiggins went 5-12 with 4 threes for 16/8/5, basically playing to his season average. Bam Adebayo was solid with 18/9, though the efficiency wasn't there (8-19 FG). Norman Powell led the bench scoring with 26 points on 11-14 from free throw line, which is nice volume, but came on 6-14 shooting overall.
Here's where I'll be honest from an orthopedic perspective: Tyler Herro looked off tonight, going 5-17 with 14/2/6. That's -6.9 from his season average. He's been streaky, so one bad shooting night doesn't mean much, but this is worth monitoring in your league. Herro's a rhythm player, and when his shot isn't falling early, he can shrink. He didn't have injury issues listed, so this was just a bad night.
The Heat had scoring pieces but couldn't get stops when they needed them. Porter's efficiency in the second half was the difference.
What's Next
If Giannis is back for the Bucks' next game, that completely changes the minutes picture for Rollins, Dieng, and the rest of that bench crew. Don't get cute and add all of them thinking you found hidden gems. These were role minutes that showed up in a specific context.
For the Heat, Powell showed he can still get to the line and score in bunches. That's a positive sign if he's your guy. Herro needs to bounce back, but one clunker isn't a crisis.
On waiver moves: Bam Adebayo dipped -0.1% ownership even though he had a solid night. If someone dropped him in your league, don't hesitate to grab him. He's still a defensive cornerstone and averaging close to a double-double. The ownership drop is noise.
Real talk: the Bucks got a solid win at home with one of their best players resting or dealing with something. Miami made them work for it but couldn't execute when it mattered. For fantasy purposes, Porter's explosion is a one-off, the bench guys are short-term plays, and when Giannis returns, the entire rotation resets. Hold your core guys, don't panic sell, and wait for the next update on Giannis' status.