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The Milwaukee Bucks blew the Miami Heat out of the gym in Game 2 of the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. The Bucks shot 10 threes in the first quarter itself and led by 26 - the joint-highest margin a team has led by at the end of the first quarter in NBA playoff history. The Milwaukee Bucks now hold a 2-0 series lead over the Miami Heat. The men from South Beach have it all to do in the remaining games if they are to progress to the Eastern conference semi-finals.
Match Details
Fixture - Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat | Game 2, 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Date & Time - Thursday, May 27th, 2021; 7:30 PM ET (May 28th, 5:00 AM IST).
Venue - AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL.
Miami Heat Preview
The Miami Heat were humiliated in Game 2 as they were caught by surprise by a shooting barrage by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks' nonstop three-point shooting demoralized the Heat as they couldn't respond with threes of their own and their defense collapsed as well. Miami shot 28.6% from beyond the arc compared to Milwaukee's 41.5%. Not only did the Heat fail to defend beyond the three-point line, but they also let the Bucks score easy buckets in the paint.
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra also faced a lot of scrutiny for not making the necessary in-game adjustments. A great three-point shooter like Tyler Herro played just 18 minutes in the game, while Kendrick Nunn, who was unable to shoot the ball, got 25 minutes of action. Bam Adebayo has also been atrocious in the two games that they have played putting up 9-26 (34.6%) from the field.
Key Player - Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler has struggled in the past two playoff games. He is getting special defensive attention as the Bucks' Jrue Holiday is focussed on thwarting him. Butler shot 4-22 in Game 1 and 4-10 in Game 2, resulting in a combined 25% from the field. Butler also put up just 4 assists and 2 rebounds in Game 2 which led to several analysts calling him out on his lack of leadership.
ESPN NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith spoke about Jimmy Butler on the famous sports debate show First Take,
"I'm gonna blame him [Butler] for it. I am not talking about him just as a player. I am talking about him as a leader. You are the face of this franchise. Enough is enough. The reality of the situation is that the real Jimmy Butler has to show up...Enough of his passive stuff. You're a star! You're Jimmy freaking Butler! Take over!"
Miami Heat Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Kendrick Nunn | Shooting Guard - Duncan Robinson | Small Forward - Jimmy Butler | Power Forward - Trevor Ariza | Center - Bam Adebayo.
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks were not going to let another game go down to the wire. They showed up with guns blazing from the get-go, dropped 15 threes in the first half and led by 30 at one point in the game. The Bucks ended the game with 22 three-pointers, just 3 shy of the NBA playoffs record. Bryn Forbes got significant playing time off the bench as he kept shooting lights out, dropping 22 points on 8-12 shooting, including 6-9 from three-point range.
Khris Middleton had 17 points and Pat Connaughton had 15 while Jrue Holiday and Bobby Portis contributed with 11 each. The Milwaukee Bucks' defense showed up big once again as they limited the Miami Heat to a measly 98 points. The team was hustling for deflections, diving on the deck for loose balls and fighting for every rebound - the kind of hunger a team fighting for the NBA championship would show.
Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo ended Game 2 with 31 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. He is showing up big in these playoff games and reminding everyone in the league that he is the reigning two-time NBA MVP. He needs to consistently perform on this playoff run if they intend on going all the way. In 2019, the Milwaukee Bucks were up 2-0 and then lost the series 4-2 to the Toronto Raptors. If the Bucks handle their business and win Game 3, then this series is as good as over.
Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Jrue Holiday | Shooting Guard - Donte Divincenzo | Small Forward - Khris Middleton | Power Forward - Giannis Antetokounmpo | Center - Brook Lopez.
Bucks vs Heat Match Prediction
The Miami Heat are now in desperate mode. They cannot afford to lose Game 3 and go down 0-3 as no team has ever won a series since going down by that margin. You can be certain that coach Spoelstra is firing up his team to win on their home floor. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks aren't going to rest on their laurels as they need to grab a win to put this series to bed.
Where to watch the Bucks vs Heat Game 3?
The Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat Game 3 first-round 2021 NBA playoffs matchup will be televised nationally on TNT. Local coverage will be at Bally Sports Wisconsin (WI) and Bally Sports Sun. The match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
