Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

by **gyso** Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:35 pm

https://sports.yahoo.com/jimmy-butlers-40-points-lead-miami-heat-to-game-1-win-over-milwaukee-bucks-012808163.html

Jimmy Butler was the best player on the floor opposite reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Miami Heat took Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals set with the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.

Butler was so good that Joel Embiid appeared to wish they were still teammates on the Philadelphia 76ers.

Butler scored a playoff career-high 40 points in the 115-104 victory, including 13 of the Heat’s last 16 points to create separation in an otherwise tightly played series opener. He also helped in the defensive effort to slow Antetokounmpo, who was held to 18 points on just 12 shots, by far his lowest output of the playoffs.

Check back soon for more details

by **gyso** Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:40 pm

Here's more:

Butler scores 40, Heat top Bucks 115-104 for 1-0 series lead

https://sports.yahoo.com/butler-scores-40-heat-top-013217921.html

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored a playoff career-high 40 points, Goran Dragic added 27 and the Miami Heat clamped down defensively in the final three quarters to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-104 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Monday night.

Bam Adebayo had 12 points, 17 rebounds and six assists for the fifth-seeded Heat, who are 3-1 overall against the top-seeded Bucks this season. Tyler Herro added 11 points for Miami, which improved to 5-0 in the postseason.

Khris Middleton scored 28 points for Milwaukee, which also dropped Game 1 of its first-round series against Orlando. Brook Lopez had 24 points on 8 for 10 shooting, and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Bucks.

But Antetokounmpo’s night will likely be best remembered by what he did at the foul line: The reigning MVP went 4 for 12 from the stripe, the worst performance by anyone with at least 12 free-throw attempts in a playoff game since Andre Roberson went 2 for 12 for Oklahoma City on April 23, 2017 against Houston.

Kyle Korver added 11 for the Bucks, who scored 40 points in the first quarter and managed 64 the rest of the way.

Miami led 92-86 after three quarters, after trailing for most of the game to that point -- then managed only three points in the first 6:30 of the fourth quarter.

The Bucks didn’t exactly exploit that slump.

Marvin Williams’ three-point play with 7:40 left got Milwaukee within 95-93, and it stayed a one-possession game for nearly five minutes. Antetokounmpo scored for a 96-95 lead midway through the fourth, before Butler drove and got a baseline floater to fall on the next Miami possession to put Miami back on top.

Butler’s 3-pointer with 3:03 left pushed the lead to 102-96, and Herro — after Adebayo extended a possession with an offensive rebound — connected on a 3 with 1:34 left to make it 109-101.

Middleton had 21 at halftime, while Lopez added 19 by then for the Bucks and Dragic had 19 at the break for the Heat. Milwaukee led 40-29 after the opening quarter and 63-60 at the break.

TIP-INS

Heat: Miami is now 24-20 in Game 1s. ... Duncan Robinson, a big part of Miami’s success this season, had only one shot in the first half -- a banked-in 3-pointer. ... Butler's previous high in a Heat uniform was 38 points. His previous playoff career-best was 36, for Philadelphia last year.

Bucks: Milwaukee is now 20-32 in Game 1s. ... Antetokounmpo’s son Liam was among the first fans in bubble history; Monday was the first day that some NBA players could have family members join them at the restart. ... Lopez had two fouls at the half, then two more in the first 40 seconds of the third quarter.

RILEY ARRIVES

Heat President Pat Riley was at the game, though he’s not allowed to be near the team or their hotel because of the health and safety rules of the restart. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he was glad Riley and general manager Andy Elisburg — who was at some first-round games as well — could see the “historic” bubble. “It’s still enough to be able to feel the emotions of the playoffs and where we are,” Spoelstra said.

VOTING SITE

Fans will be able to go to Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum this fall, to vote. The city of Milwaukee announced Monday that the Bucks’ home arena will be an early voting site for the 2020 general election, open from Oct. 20 through Nov. 1. Election Day is Nov. 3. Miami is also seeking to turn its home arena into an early voting site this year.

UP NEXT

Game 2 is Wednesday.

by **worcester** Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:56 pm

We match up better against Miami than Milwaukee.

by **bobc33** Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:36 pm

If Herro and Duncan Robinson have good three point shooting games, Miami can beat the Bucks.

by **cowens/oldschool** Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:42 am

Bucks don’t have any defensive stoppers that are wings, we can exploit that match up.

Telling stat Heat beat up Bucks on boards 46-34, that’s due to Kelly Olynck’s rope a dope, while everyone was paying attention to him, that left other guys to crash the boards....

by **kdp59** Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:41 am

I've liked Butler more than many here over the years and even was hopeful that we would have gotten him in a trade back when he left the Bulls. One game does not make one an NBA champion , but Butler has been a hard working ( on both ends of the floor) NBA all-star for multiple years.

My hope now is that Jaylen becomes as good as Butler is or maybe even better. But make no mistake IF Brown can be the player Butler is, that's a high level performer.

by **dbrown4** Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:55 am

Looks like someone hasn't taken enough free throws in practice for his career. Hack-a-Kounmpo looks like a great strategy for Brad to put in the margins of his playbook for late game antics if that series becomes a reality. Honestly, I could shoot better than he did in G1.

Again, one victory does not a series win make, but again, MIL has to "wake up" one more time. If Old Swilwaukee blows the playoffs for the second time in a row with all the hype, that will take care of Coach Bud and probably Giannis whenever his contract is up. Heads will roll.

db

by **dboss** Tue Sep 01, 2020 5:20 pm

If the Bucks get knocked out in round two say goodbye to the Freak. With one more year on his contract before he becomes an UFA, he will be looking for a change of scenery. It seems 7 years is the magic number.

The Bucks have put big points up all year and I expect them to come roaring back and win this series.

I do not think that the Heat have enough experience on their roster to beat the Bucks. They will need Bledsoe to get back from the hammy.

by **worcester** Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:27 pm

Giannis needs to play D to merit his DPOY award. He sure did not yesterday.

by **dbrown4** Wed Sep 02, 2020 11:38 am

G2 is going to be must watch TV. If MIA follows in our footsteps and goes up 2-0, it's going to be Panicsville in MIL, i.e. from the GM's perspective. Doubt will begin to creep in from the top. Thoughts of blowing it all up and maybe losing Giannis, etc. If MIA wins this series, especially in 4-0 or 4-1 fashion, Coach Bud will be shown the door. Nate McMillan would deserve a good look.

db

by **worcester** Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:36 pm

Giannis needs to play D on Miami's hot hand. For sure Marcus Smart - who was unjustly not considered for DPOY - would.

by **Shamrock1000** Thu Sep 03, 2020 6:27 pm

Giannis FT shooting needs to improve if he wants to be an historic transcendental player. He shot 63% this year. While he is at 72% for his career, the poor shooting this year is a real concern. As everyone on this board knows, an inability to hit Fritos renders him useless at the end of close games. Unless he remedies this, I don't think he can ever be in the same conversation as iconic players like Bird, Magic, MJ, Kobe, Lebron, etc, etc. So far, writers and NBA historians have overlooked this weakness, but that will change.

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Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

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Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

Re: Jimmy Butler's 40 points lead Miami Heat to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks