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The Milwaukee Bucks annihilated the Miami Heat 132-98 in Game 2 of their first-round playoff matchup at Fiserv Forum.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Bucks with 31 points and 13 rebounds in an all-round performance that broke the game wide open.
The Milwaukee Bucks administered a shooting clinic in the first half, and the Miami Heat never recovered from the initial blows they received against last year's playoff opponent. The game was virtually over after the first half ended, with the home team ahead by 27 points and the score at 78-51.
The Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler struggled from the field once again, scoring just 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting after a 17-point outing on 4-of-22 field goals in Game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The third and fourth quarters were merely formalities as the Miami Heat failed to mount a rally of any sort, allowing the Milwaukee Bucks to extend the lead further. They led by as many as 36 points, with six players scoring in double-figures.
Here are the five talking points from the game:
#1 Bryn Forbes looked like Stephen Curry
Bryan Forbes was on fire early in the game, scoring 14 points in six minutes for the Milwaukee Bucks. He made four three-pointers, including a 27-footer with 1:41 to go in the first quarter, to give his side a 41-15 lead. He finished the game with a total of six three-pointers and 22 points overall.
Forbes averaged 10.0 points per game while mostly coming off the bench for the Milwaukee Bucks this season. As a valuable reserve for the San Antonio Spurs in the last few years, this was his first season with the Bucks.
#2 Milwaukee Bucks had a historic playoff game
The Milwaukee Bucks' first-quarter score of 46 points against the Miami Heat was the second-most points scored by a team in the franchise’s playoff history. Additionally, the entire team tied an NBA Playoff record with 10 threes in a quarter.
That’s not all. The Milwaukee Bucks also put up a team playoff record with 78 points in the first half. Jrue Holiday also got into the history books as he dished out 15 assists, which are the most in a postseason game by a Bucks player since point guard TJ Ford recorded the same in 2006.
ESPN Stats & Info also noted that the Milwaukee Bucks' "15 three-pointers are the second-most in the first half of a playoff game in NBA history." They hold a 27-point halftime lead, which is tied for their 4th-largest in team playoff history.
The fact that the Milwaukee Bucks did all this against the Miami Heat, one of the best defensive teams in the league, makes their accomplishments more astounding.
#3 Miami Heat tried to take down Khris Middleton more than once
Perhaps still incensed at Khris Middleton’s game-winning shot in Game 1 of the series, the Miami Heat seemed determined to rough him up. With 8:41 to go in the third quarter, Kendrick Nunn entered Middleton’s landing zone while attempting a three-point shot. Nunn was assessed a flagrant foul 1, and three free throws were given to the 6-foot-7 forward as a result.
Later in the quarter, Goran Dragic used rough-housing tactics on the two-time All-Star. As he was falling down during an encounter on the court, the Miami Heat guard grabbed onto Middleton’s jersey and then clipped the Bucks forward’s foot in the process. A technical foul was assessed to the 13-year veteran guard, and Middleton canned the ensuing free-throw.
#4 Dewayne Dedmon leads Miami Heat in scoring
Hall of Famer and Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller said on the TNT broadcast that the Miami Heat were in trouble if Dewayne Dedmon was leading the team in scoring.
The 31-year-old Dedmon, who played for six teams in his eight-year career and was signed by the Heat in April as a backup big man, had 19 points and nine rebounds during the game. Both are team-bests for the game.
The fact that a journeyman center was the Miami Heat’s top scorer for the game against the Milwaukee Bucks says a lot about the effort put forth by coach Erik Spoelstra’s squad.
If the Heat are going to truly contend for a title, the team’s stars have to step up their play for Game 3.
#5 Giannis Antetokounmpo is answering questions
Giannis Antetokounmpo started the scoring for the game with a three-pointer, and everything went downhill for the Miami Heat from there. That was the only three-point shot that the reigning MVP made out of seven attempts, but it was enough to give the Milwaukee Bucks a lead they would not relinquish.
Aside from 31 points and 13 rebounds, he also added six assists, three steals and a block to carry the Milwaukee Bucks to a commanding lead over the Miami Heat in this series.
Prior to the season, many had questioned the Milwaukee Bucks forward’s ability to carry the team to the title after two consecutive flameouts in the playoffs, including a 4-1 loss to the Miami Heat in the semifinals last year.
Though he isn’t a finalist for the league’s top individual honor this year, the Greek Freak showed that he deserved the back-to-back MVP awards that he received.
Also Read: Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson wins NBA Sixth Man of the Year for the 2020-21 season
