This was not the spot that the Milwaukee Bucks envisioned themselves being in.
After their shock Game 1 loss to the Orlando Magic in the first round, it looked like they had righted the ship after winning four straight games to carry momentum into the second round.
Well, they now find themselves down 2-0 in a series against scrappy Miami Heat. Jimmy Butler and the rest of the Heat aren’t going to be looking to do the Bucks any favors, either.
Catch the game live on Saturday, September 5 at 6:30 AM (Manila time).
ROAD TEAM: #1 Milwaukee Bucks (0-2)
Giannis Antetokounmpo needs to reach another level. The reigning MVP isn’t putting up bad numbers, as he’s averaging 23.5 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists.
However, that’s not good enough for him. The Bucks will need him to lose his mind the next game if they don’t want to go down 0-3.
Khris Middleton has been good for the series as well with 25.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 6.5 rebounds.
The other roleplayers have stepped up to, but it’s all going to boil down to The Greek Freak. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him explode for a triple-double in Game 3, and maybe even hit the 40-point mark.
HOME TEAM: #5 Miami Heat (2-0)
Jimmy Butler came back down to earth in Game 2, putting up a pedestrian 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists. He also almost blew the game, and was part of the sequences that saw the Heat blow a six point lead and let the Heat tie the game with barely any time left.
He did redeem himself by hitting the game-winning free throws, but even that came on a possession that needed him to hold onto the ball for dear life before he got fouled with 0.0 seconds left in the game.
What’s more important for the Heat is how well their supporting cast has played. Goran Dragic has been a first half scoring machine, and paced the team with 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
More importantly, the Heat saw seven players score in double digits. In a game where Butler struggled offensively, his teammates stepped up.
Prediction
While the Bucks are going to need to rely on a massive night from Antetokounmpo, the Heat are a hard-working team. They’re not the type to let their foot off an opponent’s neck while they smell blood.
The Bucks may be favored, but the Heat will surprise again with a 114-110 win.
