Game 1 of the 3-6 first-round matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat was a grind-out battle that needed a game-winner in overtime to settle things.
Game 2 was a different story. The Bucks ran away with this game, opening it up with 46 first quarter while restricting the Heat to just 20 points. For the game, Milwaukee led by as many as 36 and never led by fewer than 25 in the second half.
"They imposed their will," Heat superstar Jimmy Butler said postgame about Milwaukee's hot start. "Did what they do best - get out in transition. They made a lot of shots but we didn't make anything difficult on them."
Butler was one of five Heat players to finish in double figures but struggled offensively, only finishing with 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field.
"We know what we have to do better," Butler added. "I think the bright spot is that you can't play any worse."
Jimmy Butler in the Bucks series:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 25, 2021
13.5 PPG
25.0 FG%
22.2 3P%
64.3 FT%
-42 +/- (lowest on team) pic.twitter.com/fvgdqdSN2k
Dewayne Dedmon was Miami's top scorer with 19 points while Bam Adebayo, the team's other star, finished with 16 points, four assists and three rebounds.
"They got the crowd into it," Adebayo said postgame about why the Heat couldn't gain any momentum after the game out of hand early. "Once you hit a couple and the crowd get into it, the basket looks like an ocean."
The Fiserv Forum was host to about 9,000 fans, nearly 50 percent of the arena's full capacity after the Bucks had increased the capacity for the playoffs after it previously allowed only 3,300 fans - around 18 percent.
MORE: Bucks shoot lights out in blowout Game 2 win
Going by the crowd's impact in Game 2, the Heat should be excited as this series shifts to Miami.
The AmericanAirlines Arena, the team's home arena is said to welcome nearly 17,000 fans for the playoff game, among the most in the league. However, Butler believes the play between the lines will be more crucial to the result in the two games in Miami.
"I don't think so," Butler said previewing Game 3. "We love playing in front of our home crowd, on our home floor, yeah but we still got to go out there and play basketball the right way. Compete."
"We know we have to do better. The bright spot is, I don't think you can play any worse."
The Heat allowed 22 3-pointers in this one, the most ever in franchise history, with Bryn Forbes leading the way for the Bucks with six.
"It's not surprising at all," Khris Middleton said postgame. "We know how well Bryn can shoot especially playing against him the last couple of years."
"Bryn was hot. Extremely hot in the first half."
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 25, 2021
🎙 @MotorolaUS | #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/7yOblx5Kbr
Forbes was one of six Bucks players to finish with double-digit points with 22 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way by stuffing the stat sheet with 31 points, 13 rebounds six assists, and three steals.
Looking ahead to Game 3 for Milwaukee, who hold a 2-0 series lead, their 2020 offseason acquisition Jrue Holiday shared their simple formula to keep winning on the road in Miami.
"We gotta keep that same energy." Holiday said postgame after dishing out a playoff career-high 15 assists.
The Bucks and Heat will have a couple of days off before they suit up once again for Game 3 on Thursday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m ET.
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