Photo via Twitter / Bucks
With a commanding win on Monday night in Milwaukee, the Bucks looked to keep that pressure up for game three with the Miami Heat on the road. Quite simply, the Bucks did just that, and it was apparent minutes into the game what was about to transpire.
Milwaukee got off to a great start on both ends of the ball, and held the Heat to just 14 points in the first quarter. What was a steady lead broke open in the second half, and there was no looking back from there. The Bucks outscored the Heat in every quarter, pulling away for a lead of up to 32 points with four minutes left in the game. A 29-point deficit put Milwaukee up 3-0 in the playoff series, with the chance to sweep Miami on Saturday afternoon.
The big lead allowed coach Mike Budenholzer the luxury of being able to utilize his bench, as every member of the Bucks active roster saw at least some playing time on Thursday. Bryn Forbes and Bobby Portis each contributed 11 points off of the bench, and four of the five starters were in double figures for the game. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday each recorded a double-double, with Antetokounmpo putting up 17 points and just as many rebounds. The offense’s ability to distribute the ball fairly evenly bodes well for Milwaukee, as there hasn’t been a need for Giannis to take over so far this series. Hopefully that translates into rested minutes for a future playoff series.
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No team in NBA history has squandered a 3-0 lead in a playoff series. While the last two games have been big wins, the Heat did still take Milwaukee to overtime in game one, so it’s now on the Bucks to finish the sweep on Saturday afternoon. Disposing of the reigning Eastern Conference champions in four games would be especially beneficial if the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics play a longer series, as the Bucks would face the winner of that matchup. Brooklyn currently leads that series 2-0 with game three on Friday night.
Game four between the Bucks and Miami Heat will take place on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., airing nationally on TNT. Fans will be allowed to gather in the Deer District to watch the game as well. You can find out more information and protocols for attending the watch party here.
