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In what was a stunning upset, the Miami Heat managed to take game one of their playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, winning 130-117. After a hard-fought win against the Chicago Bulls on Friday night to clinch the 8th seed, the Heat had their work cut out for them against the best team in the league, but they rose to the challenge.
The Bucks have been considered to be a juggernaut this season, with both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez in the running for MVP and DPOY respectively. They also have one of the deepest teams in the league, including former Heat players Goran Dragić, Jae Crowder, and Meyers Leonard.
Despite all this, the Heat managed to dominate the game, leading for a total of 46 minutes. To beat the Bucks, they had to revert to the identity that made them successful last season, with elite 3-point shooting. They hit an impressive 15 threes with a 60% shooting clip.
The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler, who always seems to elevate his game in the playoffs. He put up a stunning 35 points, 11 assists, and 5 rebounds. Bam Adebayo also had a near triple-double with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Kevin Love had 18 points and 8 rebounds. Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin chipped in with 15 points each.
For the Bucks, Khris Middleton had a strong game with 33 points and 9 rebounds, while Bobby Portis Jr. had 21 points and 8 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday had a near triple-double as well with 16 points, 16 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Unfortunately, both teams suffered injuries to their star players during the game. Giannis Antetokounmpo went down during the second quarter when he drove to the rack and Kevin Love attempted to take a charge, causing Giannis to slam onto his back. Tyler Herro of the Heat also broke his hand before the end of the first half when he dove down in effort to save a loose ball.
It will be interesting to see how both teams manage the injuries to their star players throughout the series and who will step up to provide similar production. For the Heat, they may distribute Herro’s minutes evenly among Victor Oladipo and Duncan Robinson, who have both been out of the lineup more often than usual.
The series will resume on Wednesday night in Milwaukee, and the Bucks will be seeking to bounce back into the series before heading to the Kaseya Center in Miami for games 3 and 4. The Heat have set the tone early, but the Bucks are sure to put up a fight in the upcoming games.
For more sports coverage from MLB, NBA, NFL, to NCAA contact Julian Ojeda at 786-501-9082 or via email julian@communitynewspapers.com
To stay tuned for more Sports Reports follow @jowepafm on Twitter
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