Giannis Antetokounmpo posted just the third triple-double in Milwaukee Bucks playoff history, helping his team complete a four-game sweep of their Eastern Conference first-round series with a 120-103 win over the host Miami Heat on Sunday.
Antetokounmpo finished with 20 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds. The two previous Bucks with playoff triple-doubles were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1970 (he was known as Lew Alcindor at the time) and Paul Pressey in 1986.
Milwaukee advances to the second round of the playoffs after eliminating Miami for the first time in three playoff matchups.
Miami, which reached the NBA Finals last year, was swept for the first time since 2007 against the Chicago Bulls.
The Bucks also got 25 points from Brook Lopez on 11-for-15 shooting. Reserve Bryn Forbes highlighted his 22-point performance with seven 3-pointers, while Khris Middleton collected 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Miami’s Jimmy Butler also had a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Bam Adebayo had 20 points and 14 rebounds, and Kendrick Nunn added 18 points.
The Bucks played for the first time in these playoffs without starting guard Donte DiVincenzo, who will miss the rest of the postseason due to a left foot injury. He was replaced in the lineup by Pat Connaughton, who scored two points.
Milwaukee never led in the first 12 minutes as Miami surged ahead by 10 points and finished the quarter with a 26-22 lead. The Bucks made just 1-of-10 from 3-point range in the quarter.
Miami led by 12 points in the second quarter before settling for a 64-57 halftime advantage. Miami, which enjoyed a 13-6 edge in fast-break points, shot 52.2 percent for the half — including 7-for-16 on 3-pointers (43.8 percent).
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The Bucks, thanks to a 10-0 run, took their first lead of the game on Middleton’s two free throws with 6:52 left in the third quarter. Milwaukee stretched its lead to 12 before settling for a 91-85 advantage entering the fourth quarter.
Milwaukee cruised in the fourth and finished the game plus-16 on rebounds and plus-eight on paint points. Both teams shot less than 47 percent from the floor as Miami became the first team eliminated from this year’s NBA playoffs.
–Field Level Media
