Giannis' Game-Ending Foul on Jimmy Butler in Bucks vs. Heat Explained by Ref
Sep 3, 2020
Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler (22), right, looks to pass around Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Crew chief Marc Davis explained his decision to call a shooting foul against the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo as time expired in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday night, which allowed the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler to hit the game-winning free throws.
Davis stated the reasoning for the call was similar to one made against Miami's Goran Dragic just seconds earlier that briefly allowed the Bucks to tie the game at 114:
Below is the transcript of the pool reporter interview with crew chief Marc Davis following the MIA /MIL game: pic.twitter.com/1YkC89EY75
The game had 10 points scored inside the final 15 seconds as Milwaukee's comeback attempt included a 7-1 run to tie the game before losing on the foul at the buzzer.
Since Butler's shot was released before time expired but the foul occurred after the buzzer, the Heat star was allowed to shoot two free throws with no time on the clock to give Miami a 2-0 series lead over the Eastern Conference's top seed.
Antetokounmpo discussed the foul afterward:
Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo on the final foul in Game 2 loss to Heat: “I tried to make it tough for Jimmy (Butler). The ref said there was contact. Maybe there was. It is what it is. I tried to contest the shot.” pic.twitter.com/c2HULbc9EI
Butler said he felt it was the right call based on the reigning NBA MVP touching him on the follow-through.
"It was an iso. Goran made a helluva pass on the inbound; then just wait for the clock to go out," Butlertold reporters. "A step-back jumper and I got fouled, pushed me in the back. Can't deny that, and then I knew I had to make one out of two, so I ended up, I think I made both of them and we win."
His free throws put the Heat in a terrific position to upset the Bucks. Teams with a 2-0 series lead in the NBA playoffs have gone on to advance 93.6 percent of the time, perLand of Basketball.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NaQbV-XFrY
Controversial call aside, Milwaukee has allowed Miami to make 29 threes on 38.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc in the first two games, something that must change for Milwaukee to come back.
Game 3 is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. tip off Friday on TNT.
Following the Houston Rockets' Game 7 victory, we're down to eight teams left in the NBA 's bubble near Orlando, Florida. And each of those eight has at least an outside shot at winning it all...
Round 1 of the 2020 NBA playoffs is officially over, and for the most part, it was as entertaining as a first round can be...
Jimmy Butler's Late FTs Push Heat Past Giannis, Bucks for 2-0 Series Lead
Sep 2, 2020
Miami Heat's Goran Dragic (7) shoots over Milwaukee Bucks' Eric Bledsoe (6) during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Milwaukee Bucks may be the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Miami Heat are in full control of their second-round playoff series.
Miami seized a commanding 2-0 lead with a stunning 116-114 victory in Wednesday's Game 2 at Walt Disney World Resort. The officiating played a starring role, as Goran Dragic was whistled for a questionable foul with the Heat nursing a three-point lead in the final seconds that sent Khris Middleton to the line to shoot three.
After Middleton made all three, Jimmy Butler drew a foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo in the last second and hit two free throws to win it.
While Butler made the winning free throws, Dragic led the way as one of sevenMiami players in double figuresin a balanced effort, further proving the Heat are a problem for the Bucks as the only Eastern Conference team to beat them twice in the regular season.
Butler was the storyline for the Heat in Game 1, and for good reason.
After all, he scored 13 points and made all five of his field-goal attempts in the final four minutes while outplaying the reigning MVP with the game on the line. He finished with 40 points and proved unstoppable down the stretch with a combination of outside shooting, elbow jumpers and timely drives.
However, Dragic ran much of the offense in the early going, and Wednesday was no different.
The point guard poured in 17 points in the first half alone as Miami's only double-digit scorer by intermission. The Heat worked him into favorable matchups by setting screens up top, and he either connected from the outside when defenders didn't press up or exploited angles in the lane to score himself or facilitate for others when Milwaukee collapsed.
Dragic was far from the only supporting cast member who carried the Heat for stretches, as Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk all found their stroke from deep while Bam Adebayo scored at the rim and provided key rebounding.
Derrick Jones Jr. and Crowder played terrific defense for stretches by forcing turnovers, challenging shooters and blocking shots as Miami held off every Milwaukee spurt.
Still, it was Butler who made the winning play at the end after the Heat blew a six-point lead in the final minute. If the supporting cast continues to contribute in bunches and Butler plays the role of superhero closer, Miami can ride the formula all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Mistakes Add Up for Bucks
There were some welcome signs for the Bucks even in defeat.
Eric Bledsoe wasted no time making an impact after he missed Game 1 with a hamstring injury. He led Milwaukee scorers with 14 points in the first half and showed plenty of burst attacking the basket, which was a much-needed boost considering Giannis and Middleton dealt with foul trouble in the early going.
Brook Lopez also kept the Bucks within striking distance by pulling defenders away from the rim and connecting from deep multiple times even as the Heat controlled the early portion of the game.
Antetokounmpo also bounced back from a statistical perspective after he scored 18 points and missed eight free throws in the first game. He bullied his way to the rim a number of times despite inconsistent playing time and being on the bench while trailing with six minutes remaining.
However, the mistakes added up over the course of the game.
The Bucks finished with 14 turnovers and shot just 7-of-25 (28 percent) from three-point range. That type of shooting is not going to win this series, especially when the Heat form a wall around the rim to cut off Antetokounmpo's penetration.
Milwaukee also didn't score between 5:30 and 1:45 in the fourth quarter, a stretch that proved extra costly after the Bucks' late charge fell just short.
What's Next?
Game 3 of the series is Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Jimmy Butler Not Surprised Giannis Didn't Guard Him in Bucks vs. Heat Game 1
Sep 2, 2020
Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler (22) goes up for a shot during the first half of an NBA basketball conference semifinal playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
On the heels of scoring a playoff career-high 40 points in the Miami Heat's 115-104 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Monday, Jimmy Butler wasn't surprised Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't get the one-on-one defensive assignment against him.
Speaking to The Athletic's Sam Amick, Butler explained why he thinks the Bucks didn't make the move with Antetokounmpo during the game:
"He is one of the best help side defenders that there are in the league. And that's what he's been doing all year long. And I think you can't get stuck on what we do. I think you've really just got to focus on what you do – you've been doing it all year. Nah, I'm not surprised. If he switches out…and he's guarding me, you know we're going to do what we have to do to still win. But I'm gonna tell you: You're not going to be able to leave me, so then that's taking away their weakside defense. So either way it goes, we're gonna be in a good spot. We've got way more guys who can do what I just did last night better than I can do, so we'll see."
Following Monday's game, Antetokounmpo told reporters he didn't ask to defend Butler:
Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo on whether he asked to switch onto Heat’s Jimmy Butler during late-game explosion: “To guard him? No, I didn’t. Why would you ask that? I’ll do whatever coach wants me to do.” pic.twitter.com/IFpR5pk1s1
Antetokounmpo was recentlynamedNBA Defensive Player of the Year for the 2019-20 season. The Greek Freak helped the Buckslead the leaguein defensive rating (102.9).
Per Second Spectrum (h/t ESPN'sEric Woodyard), Antetokounmpo held opponents to a 36.3 shooting percentage when he was the closest defender during the regular season.
Woodyward noted that's the lowest field-goal percentage allowed by an individual player since Second Spectrum began tracking data in 2013-14.
After Milwaukee took a 96-95 lead with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Butler scored 15 of the Heat's final 20 points and went 6-of-6 from the field during that stretch.
The Bucks will attempt to slow Butler and even their series against the Heat on Wednesday night. Game 2 tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET.
NBA Playoffs 2020: Full Round 1 Bracket Results and Semifinal Predictions
Sep 1, 2020
Miami Heat's Goran Dragic, bottom left, Jae Crowder, top left, and Jimmy Butler (22) defend as Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) attempt to shoot during the first half of an NBA basketball conference semifinal playoff game, Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Bucks Khris Middleton, right rear, looks on. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The top two seeds in the NBA's Eastern Conference need to make adjustments to keep their title aspirations alive.
Milwaukee and Toronto dropped Game 1 results to Miami and Boston, respectively, and they need to alter how they defend their opponent's strengths.
For the Bucks, it could be something as simple as switching on one specific player, while the Raptors could exploit certain areas of the court to gain an advantage.
Both Eastern Conference semifinal series will complete two games before the Western Conference advances to that stage.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers are awaiting their opponents from the two Game 7s to be played Tuesday and Wednesday.
Toronto had an uncharacteristically low scoring performance in Game 1.
For the first time in the bubble and in 17 contests overall, the Raptors failed to reach 100 points.
Nick Nurse's side produced fewer than 25 points in three of the four quarters and shot 25 percent from three-point range, compared to Boston's 43.6 percent.
One of the few positives for Toronto was that it forced 22 turnovers and produced 22 assists on 31 field goals.
Serge Ibaka could be the key to unlocking Boston's defensive hold, as he was a single rebound away from a double-double in Game 1.
If Ibaka plays well against Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter and spreads the floor when spotting up in three-point range, it could cause confusion in the Boston defense.
Toronto may also need better outings from Marc Gasol, who had seven points and six rebounds and made less than half of his field goals.
If the two frontcourt players up their contributions and Fred VanVleet improves from his 11-point performance Sunday, the Raptors could be in better shape moving forward.
Defensively, Toronto needs to be much better guarding the perimeter. Boston shot 43.6 percent from three-point range in Game 1 and had five players hit two or more shots from downtown.
In the first round, the Raptors held the Brooklyn Nets to 33.7 percent from deep and 39.7 percent from the field.
If the Raptors force Boston's three-point numbers down, they could limit the output of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum and others in key stretches and win a few games.
But the task will not be easy for the Raptors since the Celtics have as many offensive options as the reigning champion.
Given how close both sides are in depth, we could see a seven-game series between the two NBA Finals contenders.
Milwaukee over Miami in 6
Milwaukee needs to work on some issues to rebound against Miami in Game 2, but they are fixable problems.
The primary tweak that the Bucks should make is putting Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo on Jimmy Butler in the closing stretches of every game.
In the final four minutes of Game 1, Butler scored 13 of Miami's 16 points. Tyler Herro was the only other Heat player to score in that span.
If Antetokounmpo tightens his defense on Miami's top scorer, the Bucks could have the advantage starting in Game 2. He also needs to raise his scoring total after putting up 18 points Monday. He had two other performances with less than 20 points in the bubble, but both were caused by minutes restrictions.
Not everything about Game 1 was bad for the Bucks since Khris Middleton turned in his best performance of the postseason.
Against Orlando, Middleton failed to find scoring consistency. He reached 21 points in Games 4 and 5, but he needed second-half surges to hit those numbers.
On Monday, Middleton hit half of his field goals and three-point shots and led the Bucks with 28 points.
If he delivers at the same rate and combines with Antetokounmpo to produce 25 or more points each, Miami's defense could be put under more pressure.
Middleton could also be the key to outperforming the Heat from three-point range. In Game 1, the Bucks made four more three-point shots.
Butler will likely make life difficult for the Bucks in parts of the series, but if they make the proper adjustments, their title hopes will not wilt away in the conference semifinal round.
NBA All-Star Questions Giannis' DPOY Win, Says He's Not a Lockdown Defender
Sep 1, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates a basket against the Miami Heat during the first half of an NBA basketball conference semifinal playoff game, Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Defensive Player of the Year didn't match up against Butler, but that might say even more about Antetokounmpo.
An All-Star reportedly told ESPN's Tim MacMahon that Giannis is "not a lockdown defender who shuts down other stars," meaning he shouldn't have been named the league's top defender.
Antetokounmpo earned 75 of 100 first-place votes on his way to winning the 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year Award, well ahead of Anthony Davis in second place with 14 first-place votes.
Khris Middleton defended Butler in Monday's game and often handles top perimeter players, although Antetokounmpo still plays a vital defensive role for Milwaukee.
In addition to his 29.5 points per game, he averaged 13.6 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
The advanced stats also told a major part of the story as the forward led the NBA in defensive win shares (5.0), defensive box plus-minus (4.1) and defensive rating (97), perBasketball Reference.
Milwaukee had theNo. 1 defensein the NBA, and the unit was better when Antetokounmpo was on the floor.
Though the anonymous player might have different criteria for Defensive Player of the Year, the selection was certainly justified.
It is now up to the Bucks to figure out how to slow Butler down for Game 2.
NBA Exec: Heat Could Land Giannis in 2021 Free Agency If MIA Eliminates Bucks
Sep 1, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) handles the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball conference semifinal playoff game against the Miami Heat on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Miami Heat took a 1-0 advantage over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, a series that could have a significant impact on Giannis Antetokounmpo's future.
A front office executive predicted if the Bucks lose to Miami in the playoffs, Giannis could sign with the Heat as a free agent in 2021, per Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Amick noted that an early exit for the No. 1 seed would confirm Milwaukee is a "regular-season-only kind of team."
The Bucks have had the best record in the NBA in each of the past two seasons, but last year's run ended with a loss to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Falling short of the NBA finals with a potential two-time league MVP could be classed as a failure.
Meanwhile, Miami has been targeting Giannis for years and has kept its finances in check to keep the possibility alive.
"Everything they've done, any call that goes through them, it starts with, 'How does this affect 2021?'" a general manager toldSean Deveneyof Heavy.com in February 2020. "They want to be able to make that good pitch, with Jimmy Butler and Spo (coach Erik Spoelstra) and Pat Riley, that's important to them. And it starts with Giannis."
Jimmy Butler and 2019 second-round pick KZ Okpala are the only Heat players withguaranteed salariesbeyond 2020-21, providing the team with plenty of flexibility.
Of course, the second-round series is just one game old. The Bucks also trailed 1-0 in the first round to the Orlando Magic before going on a four-game run to advance, so fans shouldn't panic just yet.
Jimmy Butler Drops 40 to Power Heat to Game 1 Upset over Giannis, Bucks
Aug 31, 2020
Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler (22) dunks the ball after getting past Milwaukee Bucks' Donte DiVincenzo (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball conference semifinal playoff game, Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Miami Heat continued to roll.
After sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the first round, Miami defeated the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks 115-104 in Monday's Game 1 of a second round series at Walt Disney World Resort. It marked another poor performance in an opening contest for the Bucks after they lost Game 1 of their first-round series to the Orlando Magic.
Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic led the way for the Heat, who maintained the script after they won two of the teams' three regular-season meetings.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez spearheaded the losing effort for the Bucks.
Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic Topple Daunting Bucks Defense
Milwaukee's defensive strategy revolves around stopping penetration, protecting the rim and forcing teams to beat it from the outside.
It may seem counterintuitive in today's pace-and-space era of basketball, but the Bucks led the league in defensive rating, per NBA.com. Miami took advantage of some of that space with 12 triples, and Butler and Dragic found ways to probe the defense, play through contact and create opportunities in the lane.
Dragic also broke free in transition at times before the Bucks could even set their formidable defense and was in full control in half-court sets with the offense running through his ball-handling and facilitating.
Goran Dragic was doing Goran Dragic things in the 1st half:
The one-two combination led the Heat back from a double-digit deficit and put them in position to win in the fourth quarter, which was surely the goal heading into a battle with powerhouse Milwaukee.
Crunch time was their time.
Miami was up by one point with four minutes remaining when Butler hit a floater in the lane, drilled a deep triple, connected on a jumper from the elbow over George Hill and drilled another pull-up shot after Dragic's assist to Tyler Herro for a clutch three. That run put the Heat up 111-101 with 1:16 remaining.
It was a masterclass on how to beat the Bucks: enough outside shooting early and two playmakers' breaking down the defense to create looks before Butler took over as a singular force with the game on the line.
Question Marks Around Bucks Continue
The Bucks had the best record in the league this season at 56-17, but it was fair to question their ceiling.
After all, they lost one game and were in closer-than-expected battles multiple times with the Magic, who went 33-40 during the season and were without Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac, Mo Bamba and Michael Carter-Williams.
That uninspiring play, along with the absence of Eric Bledsoe (hamstring injury) on Monday and the fact that Miami was coming off a sweep of a formidable squad, put Milwaukee squarely under the microscope.
Antetokounmpo set the tone early, swatting a Butler dunk attempt, powering his way to the rim for his own dunk and even hitting a three-pointer, which is the nightmare of every opposing defense that has to pick its poison against the reigning MVP.
However, it was Lopez and Middleton who carried the offense for extended stretches as the Bucks built an 11-point lead. Lopez pulled Miami's interior defenders away from the basket with his outside shooting, and Middleton found his stroke in a welcome development after he had more games with two points (one) than he did with more than 21 against Orlando (zero).
Still, Middleton scored just seven of his team-high 28 points in the second half, while Antetokounmpo missed eight of 12 free throws in a game that could have gone either way.
Butler—not the league MVP—took over in the most important moments, and Antetokounmpo had a costly turnover in the final minute with his team trailing by seven, a fitting end to Milwaukee's comeback effort.
A combined 10 turnovers by Antetokounmpo and Middleton, plus the former's missed free throws and the latter's lackluster second half, means there are still plenty of question marks about the Bucks.
What's Next?
Game 2 is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET Wednesday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Rookie Patch Autograph Card Could Sell for $2M at Auction
Aug 31, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo drives up court during the second half of an NBA basketball first round playoff game against the Orlando Magic Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)
If Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to purchase one of his rookie cards about to hit the market, the Milwaukee Bucks star might have to pony up roughly a tenth of his $25.8 million salary for this season.
Goldin Auctions is selling an Antetokounmpo card from the 2013-14 Panini National Treasures set. Not only does the card feature the reigning NBA MVP's autograph, but it also features the NBA logo patch from a jersey he wore.
TMZ Sports reported bidding could reach as much as $2 million for the one-of-a-kind insert.
In July, a 2003-04 Upper Deck LeBron James rookie card went for just over $1.8 million at auction, setting the record for the most expensive basketball card. As with the Giannis rookie card, that card included LeBron's autograph and a piece of his game-used jersey.
In a B/R Mag piece, DeMarco Williams explained how the basketball card market has exploded in recent months. The effect is evident from the potential price tag for Giannis' autograph relic card.
