NBA Playoffs: The Bucks bounce the Heat right out of the playoffs in a four-game sweep
Miami, Florida - The Milwaukee Bucks got the sweet taste of revenge after sweeping out the team that sent them home in last year's NBA playoffs, the Miami Heat.
The Bucks sent the Heat packing, on Miami's home court no less, with a big 120-103 win to complete the four-game sweep and advance to the next round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (26) didn't have a monster game, but that didn't matter as the Bucks got the job done, getting rid of the Heat and moving on to their next opponent, either the Nets or the Celtics in round two.
"It's a great moment for us, winning 4-0, and beating the team that beat us last year," Giannis said in a postgame interview with ESPN.
Milwaukee had a little more of a challenge than they were used to during game four and they initially struggled to keep from falling too far behind Miami. The Heat had a great game plan that kept them ahead at the end of the first quarter and leading the Bucks by seven at halftime.
The second half was a different story as the Bucks did what every great team does – they adjusted. Milwaukee went on a 24-4 run during the third quarter, wiping out Miami's lead and building a substantial one of their own, heading into the fourth.
And the Bucks did something they haven't been known for lately: they played great defense to lock up the game for the sweep.As a team, the Bucks played to dominate
The two-time reigning MVP Giannis finished with a triple-double, scoring 20 points, with a career playoff-high 15 assists, and 12 rebounds, so it wasn't like he didn't contribute much. It was his defense though that grabbed the headlines. Jimmy Butler, the Heat's best player, was mostly held in check by Giannis and only mustered 12 points, despite finishing with a triple-double of his own.
In fact, Bam Adebayo was the only Miami man to reach 20 points. The rest of their starting five could only contribute 29 points, which doesn't usually add up to success. Milwaukee, on the other hand, had three other players aside form Giannis who reached 20 points.
The Bucks will meet the winner of the Nets/Celtics series in game one next week.
Cover photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire