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The sixth seed Miami Heat fell shy of a Game 1 victory on the road against the third seed Milwaukee Bucks.
Milwaukee guard Khris Middleton hit the game’s final go-ahead jumper. He gave the Bucks a 109-107 lead with half a second remaining in the fourth quarter.
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The Heat are no strangers to the Bucks, the two teams are going head-to-head for the 11th time in the playoffs and the third playoff series between the two. Furthermore, Milwaukee is seeking their first playoff series victory against Miami, after being swept in 2013 and ousted in five games in the 2020 Playoffs. Miami took Game 2 last postseason.
This time around the matchup boasts the reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Bucks against the defending eastern conference champions in the Miami Heat.
According to Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer the Bucks for the second straight game will prove to be a taller task.
Antetokounmpo is coming off of a 18 rebound performance in Game 1. Additionally, Middleton had a game high 27 points. Milwaukee’s addition of Jrue Holiday in the offseason now leads the team in assists at 6.7 a game. The Bucks are 8-2 in their last 10 games and The Heat are 7-3 averaging 117.9 points per game in their last 10.
Heat guards Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic led the way for Miami with 24 and 25 points respectively.
Game 2
Heading into Monday’s matchup, Miami guard Victor Oladipo and Milwaukee forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo are the lone players on the injury report for each team. Furthermore, Oladipo is out for the remainder of the season with a torn quad and T. Antetokounmpo is listed as out with an undisclosed knee injury.
Game 2 will take place in the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Monday at 7:30 p.m. with the Bucks ahead in the series 1-0.
Milwaukee opens at a 4.5 point favorite, odds provided by CAESERS.
The series will shift to Miami for Games 3 and 4. In addition to games 5, 6 and 7 still if necessary.
