Both the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat looked fairly different when they met during the first week of the season for a double-header in December.
Although the Heat were without leading man Jimmy Butler and guard Victor Oladipo in the lineup this time around, these new rosters for both teams were interesting to watch last night. It was a rather routine win for the Bucks as they claimed yet another season series over an Eastern Conference opponent with a 122-108 win over the Heat.
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Khris Middleton paved the way for the Bucks as he immediately established a groove by scoring 21 points on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting from the floor. Also chipping in seven rebounds and seven assists, the forward had himself a fantastic night in a game with major seeding implications.
Following the victory, it is increasingly likely that the Bucks will square off against the Heat in the first round of the postseason.
While that is not set in stone as the standings could shift around on the last day of the regular season today, it seems like it will ultimately pan out that way. That would be a playoff series filled to the brim with storylines, and here are three takeaways from the potential preview in Milwaukee’s win last night.
The Milwaukee Bucks stave off Miami’s red-hot shooting in win over Heat
Miami has proven to be a daunting matchup for Milwaukee throughout the past two seasons because of their prolific 3-point shooting.
Defending the perimeter has been a massive issue for the Bucks and the Heat are stacked with high-octane shooters from top to bottom. This weakness for the Bucks was apparent when the Heat defeated them in last year’s postseason in five games after shooting 37.3 percent on their attempts from 3-point territory.
That same red-hot shooting was on display to a higher degree in last night’s game as the Heat shot 22-of-49 (44.9) percent from behind the arc. Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic caught fire as they each knocked down five triples apiece while Kendrick Nunn nearly matched that mark with four triples in five attempts.
Although they escaped with the win Saturday night, the Bucks are not likely going to win many games when their opponent knocks down 22 triples. As we’ve previously watched unfold, this Miami team has the necessary pieces to exploit Milwaukee’s most prominent weakness, which is something that will certainly be a significant focus if these two do indeed meet in the first round of the playoffs.
Brook Lopez and co. dominate inside in Milwaukee Bucks’ win over Heat
After dominating the paint in their 142-133 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, the Bucks kept that same aggressive approach down low against the Heat.
Brook Lopez was yet again a catalyst in this aggressiveness by finishing with 18 points on a nearly flawless 9-for-10 shooting night. Surprisingly enough, all of the big man’s shot attempts on the night came from inside the arc as he continues turning back the clock offensively with a newfound focus of scoring the ball more inside.
While Lopez’s shooting from distance is greatly appreciated for this team, these highly efficient outings when he is working closer to the basket have been welcoming. Milwaukee’s man in the middle finished with a team-high 12 points in the paint against the Heat while receiving some support from some fellow starters. Milwaukee’s leading trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday scored 10 points apiece in the painted area to add an extra 30 to the team total in the contest.
With Bobby Portis chipping in eight more paint points off the bench, this collective effort helped the Bucks outscore the Heat 50-34 in the paint after 48 minutes of action. That difference is rather significant as Miami entered this matchup as the best defensive team in the association by letting up just 41.2 opponent points in the paint per game, per NBA.com/stats.
If the Bucks do run into the Heat within the next few weeks, breaking through the wall down low could be one of the major keys to winning that series.
Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes provide life off the Milwaukee Bucks’ bench in win over Heat
While Milwaukee’s starters were stellar against Miami, their star-studded scoring duo off the bench also made a massive impact in this game.
The Bucks needed as much 3-point shooting as possible in this matchup and Bryn Forbes answered the call. In just under 20 minutes off the bench, the guard torched the Heat by finishing with 21 points on 7-for-9 shooting, including 5-for-6 from 3-point range. Forbes continues enjoying the most efficient shooting season of his career, and this latest performance provides optimism with the growing reality that these two teams could square off again soon.
Shooting from behind the arc was one of Milwaukee’s most apparent weaknesses in last year’s playoff matchup with Miami as they shot just 32.7 percent from distance across five games. They brought in the sharpshooting guard via free agency to help alleviate that issue and last night’s performance certainly provides hope in that regard.
Forbes was not the only Bucks reserve to clock in a solid effort at big man Bobby Portis also logged another solid performance. Tying into his aforementioned eight points scored in the paint, Portis finished the contest with 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor. Playing just under 20 minutes, Portis provided the team with a massive scoring lift next to Forbes.
These two could be major factors in a potential series against Miami as they both are having the most efficient shooting seasons of their careers. That floor spacing will be pivotal and undoubtedly something to watch for moving forward.
The Bucks will finish off an eventful 2020-21 regular season as they square off against the Chicago Bulls today at 8:00 p.m. CST. That matchup will be among the many games being played to have potential seeding implications for Milwaukee and you can catch the action on Bally Sports Wisconsin for those viewing locally.