Giannis After Bucks' Game 3 Blowout of Heat: 'Our Job Is Not Done Here'
May 28, 2021
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) goes around Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 27, 2021, in Miami. The Bucks won 113-84. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Giannis Antetokounmpo isn't about to look ahead against the team that knocked his Milwaukee Bucks out of the playoffs last season.
"We are going to stay focused," he told reporters after Thursday's 113-84 victory over the Miami Heat. "Our job is not done here."
The job is nearly done, though, as the Bucks are in full control with a commanding 3-0 lead through the first three games.
Milwaukee cruised in the first game in Miami in this series even though Antetokounmpo scored just 17 points. He also added 17 rebounds and five assists while Khris Middleton (22 points, eight assists and five rebounds) and Jrue Holiday (19 points and 12 assists) were brilliant in support.
If the players around Giannis play like that, the Bucks become legitimate championship contenders even in an Eastern Conference that features the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
Yet Antetokounmpo's comments suggest the team is still focused on eliminating the team that stunned the top-seeded Bucks in five games in last year's playoffs inside the Walt Disney World Resort before shifting its attention to those potential matchups.
The Heat stacked the lane in last season's series to cut off Antetokounmpo's driving paths. His teammates were unable to consistently take advantage of the resulting space, and Milwaukee went home.
This year has been a different story in large part because of Holiday's veteran presence. His ability to read those openings and either create shots for himself or his teammates has allowed the offense to keep flowing even if Antetokounmpo isn't taking over for extended stretches of games.
The Bucks will have an opportunity to complete the sweep on the road in Saturday's Game 4.
Giannis Drops 17 as Bucks Cruise Past Heat to Take Commanding 3-0 Series Lead
May 28, 2021
MIAMI, FL - MAY 27: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Miami Heat during Round One Game Three of the Eastern Conference Playoffs on May 27, 2021 at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Bucks continued to bully their way past the Miami Heat on Thursday, picking up a 113-84 victory in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals as the series shifted to South Florida.
Milwaukee now leads the best-of-seven 3-0 and will look to complete a sweep of last year's conference champions at American Airlines Arena on Saturday.
Despite inserting guard Goran Dragic into the starting lineup in place of Kendrick Nunn, the Heat couldn't keep up with a Bucks offense that ranked as the best unit in the NBA (120.1 points per game) during the regular season.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, can advance past the first round for the third consecutive season with one more win, eliminating Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and a gritty Heat team from the playoffs.
It only took one quarter for the Bucks to prove the Heat couldn’t hang with them. Unfortunately for Miami, that came in the third frame, after Milwaukee took a 49-36 lead into halftime.
Even with Donte DiVincenzo forced out of the game with a left foot injury at the break, Milwaukee was able to insert Bryn Forbes (11 points) into its first unit without losing any of the three-point shooting it relies on DiVincenzo to provide.
The Bucks drilled more three-pointers in the third quarter (seven) than Miami made in the first three quarters combined (six). That helped Milwaukee score more points in one frame than the Heat mustered in the entire first half. The Bucks rode a 37-24 run in the third quarter to a rather tame fourth quarter in which Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo found themselves benched with their team down 30 and five minutes to play.
Forbes sank three shots behind the arc himself as every Bucks player aside from DiVincenzo notched at least 13 points in the win.
Milwaukee may not have won the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but it may have ended up with the best draw, getting to feast on a worn down Heat club before likely facing the Brooklyn Nets in the second round—Brooklyn leads the Boston Celtics 2-0 in their series.
By the end of the night, the Bucks had shot 48.3 percent from the floor while playing a much more athletic brand of basketball. Miami could only attempt to shoot their way back into contention.
It wouldn’t work. Whatever halftime adjustments Spoelstra made, they were quickly cancelled out by Milwaukee’s third quarter performance which all but secured a third straight victory over the Heat.
Now the Bucks need just one more win to sweep Miami after the Heat eliminated Milwaukee in five games during the second round last summer.
Heat Offense Stays Cold In Game 3
It’d be easy to forgive casual NBA viewers for mistaking Thursday’s Heat performance for a mid-December contest rather than a crucial postseason matchup.
Miami’s offense looked disjointed, failing to consistently get good looks at the rim and routinely failing to cash in on the good possession the Heat did put together. It’d also be easy to mistake Miami’s roster for a group that hadn’t spent much time together, not one that won the Eastern Conference less than a year ago.
What Miami did look like on Thursday was lifeless.
Aside from Butler, who notched his best outing of the postseason so far, the Heat never got into rhythm. Instead, they trailed by double digits from the end of the first quarter until the end of regulation with the Bucks leading by as much as 32.
The only lead Miami held all night was 2-0 after Bam Adebayo opened up the scoring one minute into regulation.
Instead, the Heat shot 37.6 percent from the floor (32-of-85) as head coach Erik Spoelstra’s decision to insert Dragic into the starting lineup failed to pay off. The shooting guard netted just five points and two assists in the first half before finishing with eight points on 14 field goal attempts.
Now facing a 3-0 series deficit, the Heat will have to make NBA history or begin enjoying their offseason earlier than expected. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit.
If returning to their home court, adjusting the starting lineup and having their fans pack the American Airlines Arena didn’t help change the Heat’s fortunes, it’s hard to imagine what will at this point.
After a charmed run to the NBA Finals in 2020, Miami appears to have run out of magic.
What's Next
Game 4 between the Bucks and Heat is scheduled for Saturday, May 29 at 1:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
Report: Bucks 'Unanimously Opted Against' Tanking to Avoid Heat in 2021 NBA Playoffs
May 27, 2021
MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 24: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat look on during Round 1, Game 2 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on May 24, 2021 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images).
The Milwaukee Bucks weren't afraid of an NBA playoffs rematch with the Miami Heat after losing to them in the second round of last year's postseason.
ESPN's Zach Lowe wrote how the Bucks could have avoided Miami in the first round by effectively laying down against the Heat in their penultimate game of the regular season.
"They had internal discussions about potentially doing so, sources said," according to Lowe. "They unanimously opted against it. They wanted to enter the postseason in rhythm. They would not evince any fear of any opponent."
While Milwaukee wasn't as dominant in the regular season as it was a season ago, the same can be said of the Heat. Miami was 17th in net rating (minus-0.1), down from seventh (2.7) in 2019-20, per NBA.com.
The Bucks also have Jrue Holiday this time around to help slow down Goran Dragic, who averaged 19.8 points in the conference semifinals. And Lowe explained how head coach Mike Budenholzer is looking to match Giannis Antetokounmpo against Jimmy Butler, something that didn't happen in the 2020 playoffs.
Things were looking a bit dicey as Milwaukee needed overtime and a Khris Middleton jumper to put the Heat away in Game 1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPm8a2E8XQc
The Bucks responded promptly by blowing Miami out by 34 points in Game 2. Antetokounmpo (31 points, 13 rebounds) and Holiday (11 points, 15 assists) both had double-doubles, while Bryn Forbes, who wasn't on last year's squad, came off the bench to hit six threes en route to a 22-point night.
Perhaps most importantly, Butler has just 27 points on 8-of-32 shooting through the first two games of the series. Having carried the Heat to the 2020 Finals, the five-time All-Star is struggling to replicate that form.
Throughout the NBA's history, championship-winning teams often had to overcome an opponent that proved troublesome in past offseasons.
The Chicago Bulls sweeping the Detroit Pistons in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals was the catalyst of their six titles in eight years. LeBron James couldn't get past the Boston Celtics during his first run with the Cleveland Cavaliers and then sent the Celtics packing during each of his first two years with the Miami Heat. ESPN devoted an entire 30 for 30 documentary to Reggie Miller's rivalry with the New York Knicks.
Quickly dispatching of the Heat would be one way for the Bucks to show they've grown since last season's bitter disappointment.
Jimmy Butler: I Don't Think Heat Can Play Any Worse Than Game 2 Blowout Loss to Bucks
May 25, 2021
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) falls to the floor against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Monday, May 24, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler offered a reasonable outlook heading into Game 3 of his team's first-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks after a blowout loss in Game 2 on Monday night.
"The bright spot is I don't think we could play any worse," Butler told reporters after the Heat fell 132-98, going down 2-0 in the series.
The Heat trailed 8-0 early, and Bam Adebayo missed his first three shots. It got worse from there, as they were down 46-20 at the end of the first quarter. The Bucks never let up, leading by as many as 36.
"They are a great first-quarter team," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "This game got out of hand quickly."
Milwaukee ended the night making a postseason franchise-record 22 threes on 53 attempts.
Bryn Forbes was an unexpected star for the Bucks, scoring 14 first-quarter points off the bench. He ended the night with 22 points and six threes in just 20 minutes after scoring five points in the Bucks' 109-107 overtime victory in Game 1.
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo had a strong overall game, finishing with 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block on 12-of-23 shooting.
Beyond the Heat's shooting struggles (33-of-82), the Bucks dominated them on the glass with a 61-36 edge overall and a 21-9 advantage on offensive rebounds.
Butler finished with just 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting, while Adebayo had 16 points. Surprisingly, Dewayne Dedmon led the Heat in scoring with 19, his highest total since February 2019 and a postseason career high.
The 2019-20 Eastern Conference champs will now need to win four of the next five games to make it out of the first round. Game 3 will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday in Miami.
Bucks Release Statement Condemning Rise of Antisemitic Attacks on Jewish Community
May 23, 2021
MILWAUKEE - SEPTEMBER 13: Milwaukee Bucks logo sits outside Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team and Marquette University Golden Eagles Men's basketball team in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 13, 2018. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Bucks released a statement Sunday condemning antisemitism and attacks on the Jewish community around the United States.
That followed a Brooklyn man, Ali Alaheri, being arrested and charged with arson after allegedly attempting to burn down a synagogue and yeshiva (a Jewish school) in the Borough Park neighborhood on Wednesday, per Ganesh Setty of CNN.
According to that report, Alaheri was "allegedly caught on camera 'piling numerous garbage bags against the door' of the yeshiva and synagogue located in Brooklyn's Borough Park neighborhood, and then lighting the bags on fire early Wednesday morning."
Cameras also caught Alaheri allegedly punching a Jewish man in the head later on Wednesday "without any prior interaction or provocation."
Nicole Chavez, Brynn Gingras and Kristina Sgueglia of CNN.com reported Saturday that a number of Jewish people have been attacked in various United States cities over the past week.
At least 26 people were arrested in New York City on Thursday night as pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protesters clashed.
"I unequivocally condemn these brutal attacks on visibly Jewish New Yorkers and we will not tolerate antisemitic violent gang harassment and intimidation," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday. "Those of all faiths, backgrounds and ethnicities must be able to walk the streets safely and free from harassment and violence."
And the Anti-Defamation League said Thursday that "it has received more reports of possible antisemitic incidents since the conflict broke out in Israel, with 193 reports in the week after the crisis began, up from 131 the previous week."
Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas reached a ceasefire last week after 243 people were killed in Gaza, including 66 children, from Israeli airstrikes. Twelve people died in Israel, including two children, from militant fire from Gaza.
Khris Middleton Last-Second Shot Gives Bucks OT Win vs. Jimmy Butler, Heat in Game 1
May 22, 2021
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 22: Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots in the first quarter against the Miami Heat during Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at Fiserv Forum on May 22, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Bucks are off to a much better start in this year's playoffs after their 109-107 overtime win over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference postseason series on Saturday at Fiserv Forum.
Khris Middleton's jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining provided the difference for the Bucks.
Jrue Holiday's fastbreak layup with 39.3 seconds remaining in overtime gave the Bucks a three-point advantage. It was his first made field goal since the 6:04 mark of the fourth quarter.
Goran Dragic tied the game after an offensive rebound from Bam Adebayo, but with 20 seconds to play, Middleton was able to play hero for the Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't have a great game overall, but he made two huge plays down the stretch starting with a free throw that put the Bucks up 98-97 with 34.3 seconds remaining in regulation.
On Miami's ensuing possession, Antetokounmpo knocked the ball out of Jimmy Butler's hands to force a jump ball. The Bucks got possession back, and Antetokounmpo made one of two free throws after being fouled to increase the lead to two with nine seconds remaining.
Butler sent the game into overtime with a layup as time expired after blowing past Antetokounmpo to the basket.
After the Bucks posted the NBA's best regular-season record last year, they lost the opening game of their first-round series with the Orlando Magic before winning the series 4-1. Their strong play didn't continue, however, as they were eliminated in the second round of the postseason in five games by Miami.
Milwaukee's front office got aggressive in the offseason to acquire Holiday with the hopes his versatile all-around game would be the missing piece for this team to reach the NBA Finals.
The Heat struggled to find a consistent rhythm for most of the 2020-21 season, but they closed the year on a roll with 18 wins in their final 26 games.
Both teams struggled down the stretch, combining for 58points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Antetokounmpo's struggles from the free-throw line remain a problem. He missed four of his last five attempts from the charity stripe in regulation and was called for a 10-second violation.
The Heat weren't an offensive juggernaut for most of the regular season, but they turned it on down the stretch. Their offensive rating of 122.2 over the final nine games ranked second in the NBA, per NBA.com.
Milwaukee was the best offense in the NBA during the regular season by points per game (120.1) and ranked fourth in rating (116.5).
Despite the amount of offensive talent that was going to be on the court Saturday, it seemed like whichever defense stepped up would make the difference in Game 1.
Early on, it looked like the Heat were going to keep having their way with the Bucks. Butler had Antetokounmpo off balance in the first quarter.
Milwaukee managed just 22 points in the first 12 minutes. Head coach Mike Budenholzer, who is facing a lot of pressure this postseason, rallied his team in the second quarter.
The Bucks dropped 31 points in the second to take a 53-50 lead into halftime. They did that despite shooting just 11.8 percent from behind the arc.
In the first half, the Bucks were just 2/17 from 3-point range, but were 11/13 at the rim. Miami had 11 turnovers, including 6 that were live-ball. pic.twitter.com/lUwC9h3kBH
The Bucks finished up shooting 5-of-31 from behind the three-point line. Miami went 20-of-50 from deep, prompting ESPN's Kevin Pelton to note the historical nature of this loss:
No team has ever won a playoff game making 14 fewer 3s than their opponent. The largest differential in a win was -12 by the 2015 Grizzlies over Portland and last year's Thunder over Houston, per @stathead: https://t.co/9qXFHUm6BL
Unlike previous years when Budenholzer seemed like he was carefully managing Antetokounmpo's minutes in the playoffs, the two-time NBA MVP was cut loose in the first half:
Giannis Antetokounmpo took 16 shots in the first half, tying his career-most for any first half. (Done on three previous occasions.)
He played 20:03, two seconds shy of his first-half high for the season.
Antetokounmpo still has issues against Miami's defense that he's been unable to figure out. He missed 17 of 27 field-goal attempts and shot below 50 percent from the free-throw line (6-of-13).
While Antetokounmpo is going to command most of the attention as the Bucks' best player, it was the team's two new additions that played a huge role in Saturday's game.
P.J. Tucker was acquired from the Houston Rockets in March to provide defense on the wing. He finished Game 1 with a plus-eight rating despite scoring zero points and attempting one field goal in 18 minutes.
Holiday dropped 20 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and disrupted Butler's final three-point attempt in overtime to seal the win.
Holiday was acquired to be a difference-maker for this type of moment. He gave the Bucks exactly what they needed in his first playoff appearance for the organization.
Butler, Adebayo Struggle in Loss
Few people were paying attention to Milwaukee's 2-1 advantage over the Heat in the regular season because Butler sat out all three games between the two teams.
Based on his performance in Game 1, Butler wouldn't have made much of a difference in any of those matchups. The five-time All-Star did have a few nice moments on the defensive end, but his 18.2 field-goal percentage was his second-worst mark of the season (0-of-6 on Jan. 1).
This is the 100th game in which Jimmy Butler has taken at least 10 shots by halftime.
He's 1 for 10 today.
Out of those 100 games, that shooting percentage ranks ... 100th.
When the Heat weren't making threes, though, their only source of offense was when they got to the free-throw line. They were just 16-of-49 on two-point attempts.
Butler and Adebayo combined to go 8-of-37 from the field.
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo struggled from the field in today's loss...
— HEAT on FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSN_Heat) May 22, 2021
Miami's run to the Finals last year was sparked by Adebayo playing like a superstar and Herro shooting 37.5 percent from three in 21 games.
If those two things aren't going to happen again this postseason, the Heat will find themselves in trouble. They weren't able to intimidate the Bucks like they did last time these teams met in the playoffs.
What's Next?
The Heat and Bucks will play Game 2 at Fiserv Forum on Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Bucks' Jrue Holiday on Heat Series: 'Talent-wise, We Have a Bit More of That'
May 18, 2021
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 20: Donte DiVincenzo #0, Giannis Antetokounmpo #34, Khris Middleton #22, and Jrue Holiday #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks walk across the court in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at the Fiserv Forum on March 20, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday is confident in his team's ability ahead of the first-round matchup with the Miami Heat.
"I feel like talent-wise, we have a bit more of that," Holiday said on the upcoming series, per Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.
The series is a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Semifinals, which saw the fifth-seeded Heat earn a shocking upset over the No. 1 Bucks in five games. Miami went on to reach the NBA finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Holiday wasn't around for that series, joining Milwaukee in the offseason in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. The lack of bad memories could help the point guard remain optimistic going into the No. 3 vs. No. 6 battle starting Saturday.
Holiday is at least complimentary of Heat star Jimmy Butler, who averaged 21.5 points per game, set career highs with 7.1 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game while leading the NBA with 2.1 steals per game.
"He's definitely my type of guy," the veteran said. "I'm a big fan of Jimmy Buckets."
Miami also has Bam Adebayo as well as a deep rotation of veterans and younger players, including Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn and Andre Iguodala.
Milwaukee still might have the talent advantage led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning two-time MVP and one-time Defensive Player of the Year. Holiday, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez have all also earned All-Star selections in their careers while Bobby Portis and Donte DiVincenzo have become valuable role players.
The "talent" argument could be close, but the question of best team will be settled on the court in a seven-game series.
NBA Scout Thinks Mike Budenholzer Is Fired If Bucks Lose to Heat in 2021 NBA Playoffs
May 18, 2021
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 20: Head coach Mike Budenholzer of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at the Fiserv Forum on March 20, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Perhaps no one has more at stake in this postseason than Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer.
Speaking to Josh Robbins and Sam Amick of The Athletic, one NBA scout thinks Budenholzer will be fired if Milwaukee loses in the first round of the 2021 playoffs to the Miami Heat.
There has already been speculation that the Bucks will need a deep playoff run to save Budenholzer's job. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported earlier this month they likely need to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the 51-year-old to return in 2021-22.
The Bucks led the NBA in scoring average (120.1 points per game) and led the Eastern Conference with a plus-5.9 net rating during the 2020-21 regular season.
The only other person on the Bucks who might be facing more pressure than Budenholzer is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The reigning two-time NBA MVP affirmed his commitment to the franchise in December by signing a five-year max extension.
Milwaukee's front office made an aggressive trade during the offseason to acquire Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a four-team deal. The Pelicans received Eric Bledsoe, first-round draft picks in 2025 and 2027 and pick swaps in 2024 and 2026.
Budenholzer has been fantastic during the regular season in three years with the Bucks. They have gone 162-65 with three straight Central Division titles since the start of the 2018-19 campaign.
The playoffs have been a different story for the longtime Spurs assistant who has won four NBA championship rings. Since winning 10 of their first 11 postseason games in 2019, the Bucks are 5-9 in their past 14 playoff contests.
Miami ended the Bucks' title hopes last season with a 4-1 series win in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday (21) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio, Monday, May 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday and his wife, former United States women's national soccer team player Lauren Holiday, are donating $1 million to Black-owned businesses and Black-led nonprofit organizations.
The Holidays told Marc Stein of the New York Times thatthey will be adding the funds to the JLH Impact Fund, which was founded last year to help Black businesses and nonprofits. Jrue Holiday donated $5.3 million of his 2019-20 salary to start the fund.
Jrue said launching a way to help the Black community helped provide him motivation to return to the floor during the NBA bubble.
“I’m not going to lie: I didn’t really want to go to the bubble,” Jrue Holiday said. “It didn’t feel like it was the time for basketball. My wife was pregnant. I just felt like me leaving my family wasn’t the best for my family. I also wanted to go out and protest, but I couldn’t do that because I had to protect my family from COVID. I felt like I needed something to motivate me to go.”
The fund launched with organizations in New Orleans (Jrue's team at the time), Indianapolis (Lauren's hometown) and Los Angeles (Jrue's hometown) receiving benefits. Milwaukee will be added as the fourth city with this new $1 million infusion.
Jrue Holiday told Andrew Lopez of ESPN that he felt he and his family were not involved enough in their communities and sought to use those funds to find a way to help. He said the nationwide protests following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor helped provide a "kick in the pants," and Lauren encouraged the start of the fund.
Giannis, Bucks Beat Heat 122-108 as Jimmy Butler Sits with Injury Before NBA Playoffs
May 16, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 13: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks brings the ball up the court in the game against the Indiana Pacers during the first quarter at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on May 13, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Bucks' quest for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs stayed alive with a 122-108 home win over the Miami Heat on Saturday at Fiserv Forum.
Milwaukee scored 44 first-quarter points to propel itself to a 16-point lead after 12 minutes. The Bucks led by as many as 24 points in the game, but Miami stopped the bleeding and cut the deficit to as few as 11 points in the fourth quarter.
However, that's as close as the Heat would get, as Milwaukee shot 53.5 percent (65 percent at halftime) from the field en route to the 14-point win. Seven Bucks scored in double digits, led by Khris Middleton and Bryn Forbes with 21 apiece. Reigning back-to-back NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo pitched in 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
The Heat were without Jimmy Butler (lower back tightness). Kendrick Nunn stepped up as the team's top scorer, tallying a game-high 31 points on 13-of-18 shooting.
The 46-25 Bucks will move from third to second with a road win Sunday over the Chicago Bulls and a Brooklyn Nets home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The 39-32 Heat, who saw their four-game winning streak end, fell to sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Notable Performances
Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists
Bucks F Khris Middleton: 21 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists
Bucks G Jrue Holiday: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
Heat G Kendrick Nunn: 31 points, 6 rebounds
Heat C Bam Adebayo: 5 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists
Heat G Duncan Robinson: 17 points
Bucks' Balanced Offense Propels Milwaukee
It was a good day at the office for the Bucks rotation, which featured a relentless and balanced attack that elicited no answer from the Heat defense.
Brook Lopez made all but one of his 10 shots. Middleton (8-of-12) was efficient as well.
Their collective effort forced Miami to play catch-up all game, with Nunn having to play some hero ball to keep the Heat alive.
But Nunn's effort wasn't enough with the Bucks proving too strong. Milwaukee dominated from all over the court, even outscoring Miami 50-34 in the paint.
Giannis played a big part in that difference:
Giannis: “I’m trying not to flex as much anymore.”
The Bucks benefitted from playing the Heat without Butler, but their efforts were impressive nevertheless, allowing Milwaukee to keep the positive momentum going with the playoffs just one week away.
Heat Can't Match Bucks' Firepower Without Butler
The Heat sorely missed Butler on this night, as Miami struggled to contain Milwaukee on defense and couldn't find many answers on offense outside Nunn, who kept this game from being a complete blowout.
Miami shot just 27-of-78 (34.6 percent) from the field sans Nunn. The bench in particular got nothing going, shooting a combined 12-of-35.
In the starting lineup, All-Star center Bam Adebayo struggled, making just two of his nine shot attempts. He helped keep the offense afloat with a team-high eight assists, but the Bucks' deep offense was too much to overcome.
This would clearly have been a different game with Butler on the floor. The five-time All-Star is averaging a team-high 21.5 points on 49.7 percent shooting, 7.1 assists, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. His ability to be a menace on both ends of the floor should have kept Miami in the game into the fourth quarter.
The bottom line, however, is that the Heat struggle without Butler. Miami is 6-13 with Butler sidelined and 33-19 otherwise this year, per Basketball Reference.
His excellence on both ends has led to Butler having the fifth-most win shares in the entire NBA (9.3), per Basketball Reference.
His defense, particularly in the first quarter, was missed.
End of first quarter: Bucks 44, Heat 28. Bucks scored 22 paint points and shot 70.8 percent from the field in the opening quarter. In case you didn't hear, Heat playing without Jimmy Butler.
Ultimately, this game was a very hard test for Miami against a Bucks team still having something to fight for even with the regular season winding down Sunday. The Heat fought valiantly after getting punched in the mouth after 12 minutes, but Milwaukee was just too strong in the end.
What's Next?
Miami closes the regular season with a road game Sunday against the Detroit Pistons at 8 p.m. ET in Little Caesars Arena.
Milwaukee will visit the Bulls on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
