Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 115-104 Game 1 loss to Miami Heat
By Adam McGee
Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 115-104 Game 1 loss to Miami Heat – Doing the simple things wrong
There were so many basic elements that are very much central to Milwaukee’s identity, and fundamental to any team winning in the playoffs, that failed the Bucks in Game 1 on Monday.
Whether attributable to carelessness, poor execution, nerves or whatever the case may be, the Bucks gave away significant points totals very cheaply, and passed up on vital opportunities to pad out their own tally too.
As has been the case for much of the bubble, turnovers were a major issue for the Bucks, essentially giving the Heat a foothold after what had been a fantastic offensive first quarter for Milwaukee. By the end of the game, the Bucks had committed a whopping 19 turnovers to the Heat’s 16 but, most importantly, the Heat scored 28 points off Milwaukee’s giveaways compared to the Bucks’ 10 points when the roles were reversed.
Beyond giving the Heat something to cling to with turnovers, foul trouble took Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez out of the game for long stretches, significantly depleting the Bucks’ resistance inside. As a result, the league’s stingiest paint defense gave up a very rare 42 points in that area to the Heat.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, in a game that they ultimately lost by 11 points, the Bucks shot just 53.8 percent from the free throw line leaving 12 points in total at the charity stripe.
To add insult to injury, with Eric Bledsoe out injured, Mike Budenholzer was forced to lean on his bench a little more. But even that doesn’t account for some of the inexplicable decisions he ultimately made in terms of lineups and substitutions along the way.
All combined, this was a real mess for the Bucks, with plenty left for them to focus on tidying up as they prepare for the rest of the series.