Milwaukee Bucks: 3 stars from eventful Game 1 victory over Heat

In the first game of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks rallied toward a thrilling 109-107 overtime victory over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of this highly anticipated first-round series matchup.

During a back-and-forth contest, the Bucks shot an abysmal 16.1 percent from beyond the arc compared to the Heat’s 40.0 percent and just 60.6 percent from the free throw line while Miami knocked them down at a 78.9 percent rate. Despite all that, the Bucks still won.

It seems mind-boggling that the Heat nailed 20 3’s, outscored Milwaukee by 45 from downtown, and lost the game. They ended up making 15 more 3-pointers, which is the largest differential in 3-point field goals made in a playoff loss in NBA history, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Goran Dragic led them in scoring with 25 points off the bench and Duncan Robinson hit seven 3’s on his way to dropping 24 points. Jimmy Butler struggled from the field, shooting a whopping 18.1 percent on 22 attempts, which proved to be a large factor.

Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer seemed to prioritize controlling the interior within his game plan, and that’s exactly what they did as the Bucks outscored the Heat 56-24 in the paint and outrebounded them 64-51.

Following the Milwaukee Bucks Game 1 victory over the Miami Heat, let’s look at three stars that helped grind out the crucial win.

In what was an eventful playoff introduction for both the Milwaukee Bucks and the NBA community, three players stood out for the Bucks that ultimately helped them steal Game 1.

It was a slow start for everyone, but as the game went on, the most impactful players began to find their stride. The back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 points, but didn’t have his best performance as he went 10-of-27 shooting from the field, 6-of-13 on free throws, committed five turnovers and didn’t make a single shot outside the paint.

Nevertheless, Antetokounmpo’s teammates delivered when they were needed most. Let’s look at the three stars of the game that helped propel the Bucks to a well-earned victory.