Tuesday’s win over the Miami Heat was too close for comfort for the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. were expected to handily defeat a shorthanded Miami side that did not have the services of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro due to injury.
The Bucks blitzed their opponents to start the game and it looked like the game was headed for a blowout. However, this is the Heat we’re talking about here so as expected, they came back and ended up challenging Milwaukee all the way to the final moments of the game.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Game-Turning Play
At one point late in the game, Khris Middleton threw a perfect lob to Giannis Antetokounmpo — one that was placed in such a way that only the back-to-back MVP would be able to reach it. The pass initially looked like it was doomed for a costly turnover but as it turns out, it was the perfect play the Bucks needed at that point in the game.
“We’ve talked about it many times, just throw it in a place that only I can get it and I’m going to try to go get it,” Antetokounmpo said of Middleton’s pass, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “Sometimes, it’s going to be too high and I’m not going be able to get it, but damn sure nobody else next to me is going to get that ball.”
Giannis would have finished the play with an alley-oop dunk as well had he not been fouled by Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. Antetokounmpo ended up hitting two clutch free throws to give his team a four-point cushion with a little over a minute remaining in the tightly-contested matchup.
Damian Lillard Speaks Out
That pass was so good that even Damian Lillard was left impressed. Dame was the hot hand down the stretch for the Heat, but even he knew he had to take a step back and let Giannis and Middleton do their thing in crunch time.
“That play is one of the more impressive plays to me, just to throw that jump ball up there like that,” Lillard said. “That’s a play where it wasn’t wide open, but he knew there was only one person that was going to get this ball and you take that type of chance because they have that type of chemistry. He understands who he’s playing with.”
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at pao.songco@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
