"Whooped them"- Milwaukee Bucks fans rejoice as they blow out the Heat without Giannis Antetokounmpo to level the series
The Milwaukee Bucks ruled Giannis Antetokounmpo out for Game 2 of their series against the Miami Heat. He was dealing with a lower back contusion after landing on his backside in Game 1.
Milwaukee's veteran players responded to the challenge as the two-time MVP sat on the bench cheering for his team. The Bucks blew the Heat off the court with a resounding 138-122 shellacking.
Bucks fans expressed their excitement with comments on Twitter:
"Whooped them"
@TheHoopCentral Whooped them 😭😭😭
@TheHoopCentral Jimmy after posting on his Insta https://t.co/0pZyqs1Mho
@TheHoopCentral nah jimmy butler is the most overrated player in the world
@TheHoopCentral Cant wait to see what Jimmy Butler's IG story is after tonight...
@TheHoopCentral Heat in 5 to cancun🫡
@TheHoopCentral heat had a fluke game 1 and thought they would win the series💀
@TheHoopCentral Gentleman sweep
Milwaukee's veteran players put on a show to pulverize Miami in the second game of their series. Brook Lopez, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton combined for 65 points, 20 assists and 15 rebounds.
The starters weren't the only ones responsible for the barrage of points that the Miami Heat had no answer for. Pat Connaughton and Joe Ingles dazzled with 39 points combined, highlighted by 11-16 shooting from behind the arc.
Milwaukee's 25-49 conversion from long range was tied for the most in a postseason game. Miami simply couldn't come back from the explosion for three quarters of the game.
Tonight, the Milwaukee Bucks showed that they're going to be a tough team to beat even without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee showed their sense of urgency right off the bat, outscoring Miami 35-28 in the first quarter. Things only got worse for the Heat as the first half ended 81-55. A 37-30 edge in the third period by the Bucks all but sealed the game for the home team.
Without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks dialed up their defense and pressure, which resulted in 17 turnovers for the Heat. Milwaukee converted 30 points off turnovers to Miami's 15.
The Miami Heat offense could be in trouble once Giannis Antetokounmpo returns
Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return for the Milwaukee Bucks before their series against the Miami Heat is over. When that happens, Miami's already struggling offense could be in even bigger trouble.
Miami averaged 109.5 PPG in the regular season, the worst in the NBA. The Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic, teams that didn't make the playoffs, were better than them.
The Heat shot 46% from the field before the playoffs, which is 26th in the league. Their 34.4% from behind the arc ranked them 27th among 30 teams.
Without Tyler Herro, who broke his hand in Game 1 and Giannis Antetokounmpo expected to return, Miami's offense could get ugly.
In two postseason games, the Miami Heat are averaging 130.0 PPG, the best among 16 teams in the playoffs. How they can keep it up without Herro, arguably their deadliest gunner, is anybody's guess.
The Milwaukee Bucks defense, the fourth-best in the NBA in the regular-season, is expected to round out their form. Giannis Antetokounmpo's return will only make them more formidable on that end.
Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday will likely make it to the All-NBA Defensive teams along with "The Greek Freak."
Miami's offense and their chances of moving on to the next round will be in for a tough fight as the series progresses.
You may also like to read: NBA Injury Report - Shams Charania reports Giannis Antetokounmpo is ruled out of Game 1 due to back contusion