Miami Heat beats Milwaukee Bucks to secure biggest shock of the NBA playoffs so far
No Giannis, BIG problem! Miami Heat delivers biggest upset in NBA playoffs yet with HUGE 130-117 win over No 1 seed Milwaukee…after injury to star player Antetokounmpo, Bucks struggled
- Tyler Herro broke his hand and Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo was also injured
- Jimmy Butler had a huge 35 point game as the Heat shocked the No 1 seed Bucks
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Jimmy Butler had 35 points on a huge night for the Miami Heat, as they beat a Giannis-less Bucks in Milwaukee to take a huge 130-117 Game 1 victory over the top seeds.
Bam Adebayo scored 22 points for the eighth-seeded Heat, playing less than 48 hours after qualifying by beating Chicago in a play-in-elimination game.
Kevin Love had 18, Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent each added 15 and Tyler Herro scored 12 before being sidelined for good in the second quarter with a broken right hand.
Antetokounmpo suffered a lower back contusion when he fell to the ground in the first quarter. He stayed in the game for a while before going to the locker room and returned briefly early in the second quarter before leaving the game for good. He finished with six points and three rebounds in 11 minutes.
The top-seeded Bucks clearly missed his scoring, but the Heat had already set the tone before being sidelined.
Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a lower back contusion and was ruled out early in the match
Jimmy Butler took full advantage of Giannis’ absence to score 35 points in a stellar performance
Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry (right) watch during the game against the No 1 seed Bucks
Khris Middleton led Milwaukee with 33 points, Bobby Portis Jr. had 21 points, Jrue Holiday added 16 points and 16 assists, Grayson Allen scored 12 and Brook Lopez had 10.
Game 2 is Wednesday night in Milwaukee.
The Bucks trailed 13 at halftime, but used an 11–0 run to come within 78–75 midway through the third quarter.
Adebayo and Martin both converted three-point plays, Love made two three-pointers and Duncan Robinson added a late trey to help Miami score 24 points in the final 4:49 to open a 102-88 lead at the end of the Third quarter.
Milwaukee closed within eight points five times in the fourth quarter, but got no closer.
Butler scored 14 points as Miami took a 33–24 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Giannis drives through Miami’s defense in the early stages – before getting injured
There was also an injury for Miami, as Tyler Herro broke his right hand diving for the ball
Kevin Love, still going strong at 34 years old, also turned in a great performance for the road team on Sunday
Middleton scored 10 points, Portis added six, and the Bucks closed in 43-42. The Heat scored the next seven runs to open a 55-44 lead on a 3-pointer by Love.
Butler and Vincent each scored four more points as Miami increased the lead to 68–55 at halftime.
In the final minute of the first half, Herro dived for a loose ball but was not ahead of his opponent. Herro slapped the field with his hand as he slid past the spot of the ball. Although in visible pain, he stayed in the game and tried to shoot before falling out. The Heat later announced that he had broken his hand.
Butler drives to the basket to try to score a layup against Milwaukee in a hard-fought game
Jrue Holiday fouls Butler during the first half of the playoff clash at the Fiserv Forum Center