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In a Saturday matinee playoff game, the Bucks were able to obtain a 1-0 series lead thanks to a Khris Middleton jumper with 0.5 seconds left.
It was a sloppy start for both teams, which was definitely expected given the fact that this was Game 1 and a 1:00 p.m. tip-off. Miami’s first nine points were scored by Duncan Robinson, but the Bucks were able to keep things relatively close after one. Moving into the second quarter, the Heat clung to a 24-22 lead. Both teams shot a combined 5-of-24 from deep in the opening period, with Milwaukee going just 1-of-12.
Midway through the second quarter, the Bucks’ defense would really start smothering Miami’s defense. Additionally, Khris Middleton started cooking. Put that together and it resulted in the Bucks taking their first lead of the afternoon. A Bobby Portis floater as the buzzer sounded gave Milwaukee a 53-50 halftime lead.
The third quarter would feature stand-out performances from Duncan Robinson and Jrue Holiday. While Robinson continued to be a threat from deep, Holiday stepped up his aggressiveness, which really aided Milwaukee in maintaining their lead. Going into the final quarter of regulation, the Bucks held onto an 80-78 advantage.
Neither team could escape the defense of one another, making for an air-tight fourth quarter of play. Giannis would struggle from the line down the stretch, which ultimately, cost the Bucks a chance of winning this one. A Jimmy Butler scooping layup as time expired sent this one into overtime, 99-99.
It was a back-and-forth overtime period, but in the end, a Khris Middleton jumper from the right wing gave Milwaukee the thrilling 109-107 win, as Jimmy Butler’s attempt would be rejected. What a game.
Stat That Stood Out
After that final shot, I gotta go with Khris Middleton. He’d tally a game-high 27 points on 10-of-22 shooting. Despite going just 3-of-9 from the 3-point line, he hit the game’s biggest shot — a jumper from the right wing that gave the Bucks the lead that they would ultimately serve as the game winner. Just a massive outing from K-Midd.