Milwaukee Bucks: Player grades from 130-116 win over Miami Heat

Milwaukee Bucks. ERIC BLEDSOE. B+. Seeing a few more minutes than he did in his debut, Eric Bledsoe ended up playing an integral part in the Bucks’ second half comeback. That was a result of the incredibly sharp defending Bledsoe provided at the point of attack to shut down rookie guard Kendrick Nunn and the Heat’s shot creation in that portion of the game. Bledsoe’s defense has been up to snuff, but his offense has been slow going and he finished with nine points on eight shots over his 23 minutes. Still, Bledsoe’s big pair of threes and five assists were a boon to the Bucks’ offense and it was great to see the veteran guard put his imprint on the win in the manner that he did.. Guard

A. Wesley Matthews continues to be the Bucks’ unsung hero throughout their time in Orlando. Returning to action and in the starting lineup, Matthews was tasked with checking one of, if not the most dangerous shooter in the NBA in Duncan Robinson, and Matthews certainly dug in on trying to bother the sharpshooter as much as he could before Robinson could let it fly. Offering up his brand of physical defense throughout his 23 minutes on the court, Matthews made good on his few scoring opportunities and finished with nine points on four shots and a pair of threes. Being a +27 during his time on the floor rounded out what was a standard showing for Matthews that shouldn’t go unnoticed.. Wing. Milwaukee Bucks. WESLEY MATTHEWS

A+. What to say about Khris Middleton’s showing during the Bucks’ win over the Heat Thursday? Throughout the highs and lows of his superstar teammate’s performance, Middleton played the role of the Bucks’ steady metronome that helped keep them on course, especially as they were mounting their comeback during the third and fourth quarters. By doing so, Middleton put in a 33-point performance and was dialed in from three where he went 5-for-6 on the day. The two-time All-Star’s playmaking was on point as well as he finished with eight assists, thanks to his connection with Antetokounmpo. Doing that while putting in a vintage defensive performance that was defined by his versatility and overall focus on rotating over on any of the Heat’s perimeter threats, Middleton did no wrong yesterday and the Bucks benefited as a result.. Forward. Milwaukee Bucks. KHRIS MIDDLETON

A. A performance that was befitting of an MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s outing against the Miami Heat wasn’t without some rapid highs and lows, especially early on. Antetokounmpo quickly got himself into foul trouble, which he battled with all throughout the game, and his defensive activity was as poor as any Bucks player throughout the first half. Fortunately, Antetokounmpo tuned up his focus and sharpness in the second half and ended up finishing with 33-points and went a perfect 13-for-13 from inside the arc while going 7-for-9 at the free throw line. Antetokounmpo had to fight through adversity just as the Bucks did as a whole and hopefully he can clean up the little things that have dragged down his time in Orlando so far.. Forward. Milwaukee Bucks. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO

Center. Milwaukee Bucks. BROOK LOPEZ. A-. Returning to action, Brook Lopez played the role he has for the Bucks all throughout the season in their comeback victory over the Heat. There was nothing special that Lopez did, but it didn’t stop him from being incredibly steady, especially offensively. Lopez’s pair of big threes came at an opportune time and it was his ability to post up and cash in all seven of his free throws throughout the day that lifted his offensive outing. With 17 points on the day in nine shots, Lopez helped balanced the load carried by the likes of Antetokounmpo and Middleton. And on the other side of the ball, Lopez kept up his All-NBA defense-level of play and helped shut down the Heat’s interior offense throughout his 31-and-a-half minutes and was a team-high +35 on the day.