Jimmy Butler scored 35 points and the Miami Heat took advantage of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s early exit to beat the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks 130-117 in the Eastern Conference playoff opener on Sunday, marred by two key injuries.
The top-ranked Bucks suffered a lower back injury to Antetokounmpo early in the second quarter. Miami’s Tyler Herro broke his right hand later in the period.
No. 8 seed Miami built a 68-55 halftime advantage before Hero’s departure and shot 59.5% (50 of 84) from the floor. The Heat were 15 of 25 and the Bucks 11 of 45 from 3-point range.
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Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks during a Round One game of the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Fiserve Forum Center on April 16, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Getty Images via Gary Dineen/NBAE)
Antetokounmpo was driving to the basket with 4:13 left in the first quarter when he was fouled by Kevin Love and landed hard on his back. The two-time MVP got up slowly, stayed in the game to take his free throws and then headed to the locker room about 2 1/2 minutes later after picking up his second foul.
Although he returned to the game with 9:56 left in the second quarter, Antetokounmpo went to the locker room again with 8:33 left in the half and shortly thereafter was ruled out for the rest of the game.
Hero appeared to injure his hand diving for a loose ball late in the first half. He was in obvious pain while standing in front of the Miami bench during the final minute of the second period, and the Heat revealed the severity of his injury at halftime.
Heat’s Tyler Hero breaks hands diving for loose ball, still manages to make shot
Hero scored 12 points before his injury. Antetokounmpo finished with six points and three rebounds in 11 minutes.
Bam Adebayo had 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Heat. Butler had 11 assists. Love had 18 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 33 points and nine rebounds. Bobby Portis had 21 points. Jrue Holiday added 16 points and 16 assists, though he made 6 of 18 field goals.
Jeru Holiday #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball during a game against the Miami Heat during a Round One game of the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Fiserve Forum Center on April 16, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Getty Images via Gary Dineen/NBAE)
Miami took control of the game before Antetokounmpo’s injury as the Bucks looked broken after a long layoff. None of the Bucks’ starters had played since at least April 5, when they won in Chicago to clinch the NBA’s best regular-season record and the top playoff seed.
The Heat led by as many as 14 in the first half. Antetokounmpo put the game away for good during a 9-0 Bucks run that cut Miami’s lead to 43-42, but the Heat responded with a 12-2 run and led the rest of the way.
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Heat: Ranked just 27th in the NBA in 3-point percentage (.344) in the regular season. … Was 17-24 in away games, including a 9-17 mark against Eastern teams.
Bucks: This is the third time in five seasons that the Bucks have been the NBA’s top overall playoff seed. The other two times, they lost to Toronto in the 2019 East Finals and fell to Miami in the 2020 East Semifinals. … The Bucks are making their seventh consecutive playoff appearance, Boston’s second-longest active streak of nine. The franchise record for consecutive postseason berths is 12 from 1980-91.
Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat runs backcourt during the first half of an Eastern Conference first round playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserve Forum on April 16, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Stacey Revere/Getty Images)
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Game 2 is Wednesday at Milwaukee.
