Top 5 Milwaukee Bucks moments of 2021: A year to remember

No. 3 – Khris Middleton’s Game 1 game-winner for Milwaukee Bucks against the Miami Heat

In Game 1 of the 2021 NBA playoffs, the Bucks got their rematch with the Miami Heat, who ended their season prematurely the year before, and both teams struggled shooting all game. A low-scoring affair that saw overtime tied at 99 points, Khris Middleton sets the tone for the Bucks’ postseason run by hitting a game-winning shot over Duncan Robinson after Goran Dragic tied the game at 107.

The game-winner for Middleton would be the first of several clutch plays the Bucks sharpshooter would carry out in the team’s title run. Middleton hitting the game-winner in the first game of this series gave the Bucks the momentum they needed to carry out a first-round sweep of the Heat, a tough feat against the team that knocked them out the year before, fitting revenge for the eventual champions.

No. 2 – A thrilling Game 7 between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets

Another overtime victory for the Bucks, an absolute nail-biter of a win. This game had Bucks fans sweating until the very end, so much back and forth in this game, heroics on both sides. The Bucks weathered a one-man storm named Kevin Durant. Durant played 53 minutes in this game and poured in 48 points, had he worn shoes a size smaller this game could have been over in regulation with Durant hitting a game-tying jumper with his toes on the 3-point line sent the game into overtime.

However, the Bucks had a storm of their own, Antetokounmpo played 50 minutes in this game and poured in 40 points of his own, in addition to 13 rebounds and five assists. Middleton struggled shooting in this game but was clutch in the fourth quarter and overtime. Middleton finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and five steals!

Holiday played the role of the third star and filled a point guard role missing by the Bucks during the tenure of Eric Bledsoe. Holiday chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds but contributed eight assists and committed just one turnover. Holiday’s box score may not look impressive, but his impact was felt in the 4th quarter, at one point he scored or assisted on 14 of Milwaukee’s 16 points after being down 96-91 with under four minutes to go.

At the end of regulation, the Bucks took an unfortunate shot clock violation by Lopez, who may not have been aware of the time remaining. However, he made up for it in the overtime period, blocking a layup attempt by Durant.

Brooklyn scored the first two points of the overtime period, and those would be the final points of their season. The Bucks finished the game on a 6-0 run, including two points each from Antetokounmpo to tie the game, Middleton to take the lead, and two free throws from Lopez to seal the win. Game 7 in Brooklyn became a monumental victory over a super-team that many thought were the favorites to win the NBA championship.