Milwaukee Bucks: Player grades from 115-104 Game 1 loss to Miami Heat

C-. Taking the place of the injured Eric Bledsoe, George Hill didn’t exactly light the world on fire in his rare start Monday evening. Hill’s uncharacteristic issues with poise and his four turnovers made for a strange sight. While the veteran guard chipped in offensively by getting to the free throw line and going 1-for-3 from three while providing serviceable defense, there was a lot to be desired from Hill.. Guard. Milwaukee Bucks. GEORGE HILL

A-. Wesley Matthews had the thankless job of covering his Marquette alum, Jimmy Butler, for most of the night and between that and his ability to sink a pair of threes, Matthews was invaluable to the Bucks’ work on the defensive end. That made the decision to leave him on the bench over the final five minutes of the fourth quarter very curious and Butler feasted as a result. Playing more than 23 minutes and 46 seconds will be necessary for Matthews to be unleashed and try to slow down the Heat’s slew of shot creators like Butler and/or Goran Dragic.. Guard. Milwaukee Bucks. WESLEY MATTHEWS

Forward. Milwaukee Bucks. KHRIS MIDDLETON. A. If there were any doubts regarding Khris Middleton going into this series with the Heat, he managed to take on some of those concerns head-on in Game 1. The two-time All-Star was absolutely dialed in shooting the ball and, combined with Brook Lopez, led the Bucks’ early offensive charge in the first quarter and the first half overall. Middleton’s aggressiveness and shotmaking was on full display, all of which led to Middleton having 28 points on 24 shots (4-for-8 from three), along with six boards and five assists. Unfortunately, Middleton couldn’t maintain his hot shooting into the second half and his misuces on the ball in the face of the Heat’s defensive pressure played into the Bucks’ turnover problem for the night. Still, Middleton held up his end of the bargain and put the Bucks in a position to stay toe-to-toe with the Heat.

After being incredibly dominant over the course of the first round, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was certainly kept in check last night, with some of it being his own doing. The Heat’s gameplan of walling up and making life tough for Antetokounmpo when driving towards the cup and only six of his 18 points came in the paint. While he did manage to knock in two threes, the sight of Antetokounmpo launching jumpers and just early attempts in the shot clock was a victory for the Heat. By far the biggest disappointments in Antetokounmpo’s night was his struggles from the free throw line where he went 4-for-12 on the night as well as his six turnovers, many of them being unforced and/or coming on offensive fouls. Flashes of Antetokounmpo’s brilliance showed early, whether it was setting up teammates, dunks or stopping Jimmy Butler at the basket. But on the whole, Antetokounmpo was flustered to say the least.. Forward. Milwaukee Bucks. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO. C-

A+. Brook Lopez was truly a shining beacon for the Bucks throughout his 26 minutes on the court. Along with Middleton, Lopez helped shepherd the Bucks over the first half with his sharpshooting from long range and post play to fuel the Bucks’ offense. Picking up his third and fourth fouls in quick succession to start the second half had as much to do with quieting Lopez over that half of the game and the Bucks’ balance was lost as a result. Still, Lopez finishing with 24 points on 10 shots, 4-of-6 shooting from three and a pair of blocks were incredibly valuable contributions for the Bucks. Unfortunately, they came up short.. Center. Milwaukee Bucks. BROOK LOPEZ