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The Milwaukee Bucks showed their resilience in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, even without their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who suffered a back contusion in Game 1. The Bucks responded to the Heat’s surprising Game 1 victory with a lopsided 138-122 win, thanks to a historic performance from beyond the arc.
Milwaukee tied the NBA record for most threes in a playoff game, hitting an incredible 25 out of 49 attempts. The only other team to achieve this feat was the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks. That Cavaliers team would then go on to win the NBA championship against the 73-9 Golden State Warriors. The Bucks will be hoping that history repeats itself as they look to make a deep run in this year’s playoffs.
The Heat got off to a decent start in Game 2, but it was during the second quarter that the Bucks took control of the game. They went on a 35-13 scoring run, resulting in a 46-point quarter and an 81-55 lead at halftime. The Bucks continued to score with ease in the second half, putting up 37 points in the third quarter alone, and at one point had a 36-point lead.
Miami, who struggled offensively throughout the regular season, had no issues putting points on the board in Game 2. They scored 122 points and hit 16 threes, both above their season averages. However, it was their defense that let them down. The Heat, who ranked as the second-best defensive team in the league, allowed the Bucks to score 138 points, well above their season average.
Jimmy Butler once again led the way for Miami with 25 points, followed by Bam Adebayo with 18 points and five rebounds. Gabe Vincent, Victor Oladipo, and Duncan Robinson also contributed with 15, 15, and 14 points respectively. For the Bucks, Brook Lopez had a big night with 25 points, Jrue Holiday contributed 24 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds, Pat Connaughton hit six threes on his way to 22 points, and Joe Ingles added 17 points.
The Heat will have their work cut out for them as they head into Game 3 on Saturday night in Miami. They will be without Tyler Herro, who broke his hand and will be out for at least six weeks. It should be mentioned that this series and season for the Miami Heat seems to be following a similar pattern as the 2021 season, where the team lost their starting power forward, had a mediocre regular season, and is now facing a difficult matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks once again. The Heat also started off strong in game 1, taking the Bucks to overtime but ultimately falling short, and then losing the rest of the games in the series in blowouts. With the potential return of Giannis Antetokounmpo for game 3, it remains to be seen how the Heat will respond and adjust their defense to try and contain the Bucks’ scoring barrage.
For more sports coverage from MLB, NBA, NFL, to NCAA contact Julian Ojeda at 786-501-9082 or via email julian@communitynewspapers.com
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