Too much Heat
The Bucks lose their first playoff game against Miami, 115-104.
It was all coming down to crunch time, the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat separated by just one point with under five minutes to go after Khris Middleton knocked down a 20-footer. Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals was going to come down to who could execute better down the stretch.
By the time the clock hit zeroes, it was abundantly clear who stood out from everyone else.
Jimmy Butler.
The former Marquette standout carried the Heat to the finish, scoring 13 of his playoff career-best 40 points in those final five minutes to deliver Miami a 115-104 win over the Bucks in the first game of the bestof-seven series. No matter who the Bucks put in front of him, no matter where on the court he was, Butler nailed huge bucket after huge bucket – former Whitnall star Tyler Herro added a clutch three-pointer for good measure – to seal the game.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, stumbled down the stretch. Giannis Antetokounmpo was tamped down all night, finishing with just 18 points on 6 of 12 shooting and despite being the league's predominant interior force barely got anything in the paint all night long against Miami's physical, swarming defense. Playing through contact inside, Antetokounmpo couldn't take advantage of his opportunities at the free-throw line, going just 4 of 12 from the stripe,
airballing one and leaving a bunch well short.
Khris Middleton had 28 points and Brook Lopez added 24 on 8 of 10 shooting, but both did most of their damage in the first half. After the intermission, the combined for just 12 points as Middleton drew plenty of attention from Miami's defense and Lopez was handcuffed by fouls after picking up his third and fourth personal fouls 40 seconds into the third quarter.
With little to speak of from Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Lopez the second half, the Bucks didn't have enough firepower to finish. Eric Bledsoe missed the game with a right hamstring strain, cutting down the offensive options, and Milwaukee's supporting cast couldn't find a consistent rhythm from the field.
That all being said, the Bucks shot the ball extremely well.
They shot 49.3% from the field for the game and 45.7% from long range, numbers that would usually portend a better result. Milwaukee opened hot to take an 11-point lead after the first quarter and they shot 60.5% from the floor in the first half. However, the Bucks led by only three at halftime due in large part to turnovers, of which they had eight in the second quarter to allow Miami to work its way back into the game.
Milwaukee finished with 19 turnovers, including three in the final 90 seconds, leading to 28 Miami points. That coupled with going just 14 of 26 from the free-throw line and Butler's dominant finish spelled doom for Milwaukee, marking its second straight series dropping the first game.