The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Miami Heat 138-122 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday night at Fiserv Forum. Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play for the Bucks due to a back injury.
Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 33 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Jrue Holiday added 29 points, and Bobby Portis had 21 points and 15 rebounds.
Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 35 points, but he was the only Heat player in double figures.
The Bucks shot 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range, while the Heat shot 42% from the field and 33% from three-point range.
The Bucks outrebounded the Heat 46-38 and forced 17 turnovers, which they turned into 22 points.
The Bucks will look to take a 2-0 series lead in Game 3 on Saturday night in Miami. The Heat will need to find a way to slow down the Bucks’ offense and get more production from their role players if they want to force a Game 4.
Here are some other key takeaways from the game:
- The Bucks were able to overcome the loss of Giannis Antetokounmpo by playing a team-wide game. They got contributions from everyone in the rotation, and they were able to make plays on both ends of the floor.
- The Heat struggled to score in the second half. They shot just 33% from the field in the second half, and they were unable to get stops on defense.
- The Bucks were able to control the paint in Game 2. They outrebounded the Heat 46-38 and outscored them in the paint by 24 points.
The Bucks will look to carry their momentum into Game 3 on Saturday night in Miami. The Heat will need to find a way to slow down the Bucks’ offense and get more production from their role players if they want to force a Game 4.