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.
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 stars from eventful Game 1 victory over Heat – Khris Middleton
Khris Middleton was the undisputed hero for the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1, hitting the go-ahead jump shot with 0.5 seconds left in overtime to top off his 27-point performance. Middleton also added six assists, six rebounds, and two steals to complement his game-winner and team-high in points.
The game was tied 107-107 in crunch time with the shot clock turned off, and Middleton had the ball at the top of the key. Brook Lopez came up to set him a screen, Khris dribbled to his left with Trevor Ariza switching onto him, and then shifted back to the right toward Duncan Robinson before fading away and swishing the dagger. It was an impressive clutch shot, to say the least.
EVERY ANGLE of Khris Middleton's GAME WINNER!! pic.twitter.com/obZohbdC2t
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 22, 2021
“He was able to get to his spot, rise up and, you know, that’s what he does,” Antetokounmpo said about his long-time teammate. Lopez added, “I just tried to give him a good screen and get him open. And he made a fantastic play as usual.”
The Bucks have pure confidence in Middleton taking those shots at the end of games, and he’s done so plenty of times while leading the team in clutch points this season. This is nothing new for Khris as he continues to shine in late-game moments during both the regular season and playoffs throughout his career.
He’s still known as one of the most underrated players around the league, and you can see why. The two-time All-Star doesn’t get the kind of respect from the media that other All-Stars receive even though he’s proved to be a reliable, efficient scorer that delivers under pressure.
Khris Middleton deserves more recognition for his contributions as he’s consistently served a valuable role on this championship-contending team in Milwaukee. He’s identified himself as the leading closer for the Bucks and struck ice in his veins once again to lift his team in Game 1.
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 stars from eventful Game 1 victory over Heat – Brook Lopez
While the Milwaukee Bucks dominated the paint in Game 1, Brook Lopez was an influential reason why. The 33-year-old big man posted 18 points, eight rebounds, and his presence clearly had an important impact in the interior defensively.
Interestingly, Lopez played 36 total minutes, which could be a sign of how serious Budenholzer is toward controlling the interior against the Heat in this series. In comparison, P.J. Tucker played just 18 minutes. Tucker’s addition gave the Bucks more versatility on the defensive end and a potential dangerous small-ball lineup when he was acquired before the trade deadline, but Bud didn’t even test that tactic during Game 1.
Brook played all of the crunch time late in the fourth quarter and in overtime, and to his credit, he was outstanding on both ends of the floor whether it was setting screens, rebounding, hustling, affecting shots with his length and height, and efficiently executing in his role throughout the contest.
It’s safe to say that Brook Lopez was one of the key players in the first game of the series, and the Bucks will be very successful if he can consistently keep it up. Lopez is such an essential role player that could shift the direction of a series, so Milwaukee should be optimistic about his initial star performance.
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 stars from eventful Game 1 victory over Heat – Jrue Holiday
Lastly, Jrue Holiday emerged as a star for the Bucks later on in the second half, scoring 11 of his 20 points in the third quarter and making some key plays down the stretch to help seal the win.
Most notably, Holiday made the game-ending block on Jimmy Butler’s shot attempt as time expired following Middleton’s clutch jumper with less than a second left. He also came up with some big steals, including one where he picked the pocket of Goran Dragic and took it the length of the court to lay it up and give the Bucks a 90-89 lead with just over six minutes remaining. Jrue finished with three steals along with 11 rebounds and a team-high plus-10 as well.
The two-way star played a crucial part in shifting the momentum toward Milwaukee’s way late in the game after not being as productive early on. He seemed to reestablish himself at halftime and came out with much more intensity, which clearly helped the Bucks moving forward.
Holiday has been beyond expectations and a major upgrade over Eric Bledsoe this season after being acquired from New Orleans in the offseason. He was brought to Milwaukee to make a difference in times like these under pressure, and he didn’t disappoint in his first postseason game with the Bucks.
As a trustworthy, strong guard with exceptional instincts, elite awareness, and solid abilities on both ends, Jrue Holiday should be the key to taking this title-aspiring Milwaukee Bucks squad past the Miami Heat and closer to an NBA championship.