Rapid Recap Game 5: Heat 128, Bucks 126

With their season on the line, the Bucks coughed up another lead and lost to the Miami Heat by a 128-126 score, finishing their season.

NBA.com Box Score

Miami’s hot shooting didn’t cool down to start this one. Instead, they connected on multiple threes, jumping in front midway through the quarter. The Bucks would keep it close down the stretch headed into the second though, as things sat at 36-33 after one.

A run without Giannis and Khris gave Milwaukee a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the half. Miami would hit a three to close the half out, but still trailed, 69-63.

After the Heat quickly negated Milwaukee’s halftime lead to begin the third, the Bucks responded in a big way. Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton really came alive, putting the Bucks on track to get the lead back. Going into the fourth, they held a large 102-86 lead.

It wouldn’t be a playoff fourth quarter for the Bucks without them making it close, which is exactly what happened. The final minutes would be excruciating. Jimmy Butler would eventually tie it off an in-bounds pass and we’d go to overtime all knotted up at 118.

Overtime would not go the Bucks’ way. It was clear they didn’t have what was necessary to overcome the intensity that the Heat brought. In the end, the Bucks had a chance to tie or take the lead, but Grayson Allen wouldn’t get a shot off, resulting in the Bucks being eliminated.

Stat That Stood Out

There’s a lot to look at in this loss, but one of the stat lines that sticks out like a sore thumb are the free throws. The Bucks would go just 28-of-45 on the night, which served as a massive punch in the gut to go along with the lead they coughed up.