After a week-long rest, the Miami Heat are back to playing basketball again. Opposing them was the team with the league’s best record, the Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat showed they were more than ready for the challenge. Despite trailing by double-digits early, the Heat kept the game close and came away with the win in the end. Miami now has a 1-0 series lead over the Bucks.
Here are four takeaways from Game 1 of the series:
Jimmy Butler’s career playoff night
This is why the Heat brought him to Miami. With the game tight late, Miami put the ball in Jimmy Butler’s hands. And he delivered. He converted on a couple of jumpers and attacked the basket. Butler had 15 points in the final period, finishing the night with 40. According to ESPN Stats and Info, he is the third Heat player to score 35 or more points in a playoff game.
36 points & counting. . .
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 1, 2020
🐐 @JimmyButler pic.twitter.com/eYC8QEjAgE
Butler finished with a playoff career-high 40 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Defending Giannis
To slow down the Bucks, you need to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo. No team in the league has frustrated Giannis like Miami has this season. Throughout the whole game, Miami’s defenders played physical defense on the star. Whenever he would attack the basket, Antetokounmpo was met by multiple Heat defenders. Even though he was close to a triple-double, Giannis wasn’t able to put his imprint on the game.
Antetokounmpo finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.
Goran paces the Heat
Goran Dragic is expected to hit the free agent market this year. Whenever free agency opens, Miami needs to have its pen and paper ready. Dragic has been huge for the team this season and he continued to play well on Monday. He kept the team afloat with his scoring. For the fifth consecutive game, Dragic has scored at least 20 or more points.
Goran Dragic was doing Goran Dragic things in the 1st half:
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 1, 2020
🐉 19 Pts pic.twitter.com/bE4lE38wg3
Dragic finished the night with 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Nunn remains in rotation
A week after making his playoff debut, Heat rookie guard Kendrick Nunn remained in the rotation. Nunn entered the game as the team’s fourth reserve off the bench, replacing Derrick Jones Jr. Nunn played 16 minutes for the Heat on Monday and finished the night with six points and two rebounds.
Next up: Game 2 tips off on Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
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