The Bucks they looked set for 2-2, but Miami had a different view. By Jimmy Butler to set a career high with 56 points came back from -12 down in the final six minutes, they prevailed 119-114 and made it 3-1 spoiling his return Giannis Antetokounmpo from his waist injury. Now the team with the best record in the regular season has no margin for error and must win three straight games if they want to advance to the East semifinals.
The Heat leader had 15/18 shots, 16/20 two-pointers and 3/8 three-pointers, with Bam Adebayo and Caleb Martin following with 15 and 12 points respectively. The Greek Freak playing with discomfort that was evident during the match made his seventh this year triple-double and third in his career in the playoffs with 26 points (2/4 shooting, 12/21 2-pointers and 0/1 3-pointers), 12 assists, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks and 6 turnovers in 38 minutes. Brook Lopez had 36 points and 11 rebounds, while Khris Middleton (4/12) and Jrue Holiday (6/19) each had 14 points.
The visitors showed from the beginning determined to level the series and take back the home advantage. Giannis, although in some places he seemed to wince because of his waist, he was effective from the beginning, finishing with 9 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists in the first period, which ended with a +5, 28-33. Butler kept the Heat in the match, but after 38-38 came a 9-0 run by the Bucks, who went to the break with +7 (50-57) and the Greek Freak very appetizing with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists .
Milwaukee playing very good basketball climbed to +15 in the third twelve minutes and Antetokounmpo with a personal basket brought the “deer” to 78-89 counting 23 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Miami didn’t lay down its weapons and with the awesome Butler went ahead (102-101), 3:17 before the end, with a 13-0 run in less than two and a half minutes. Giannis answered with a goal-foul (102-104), but Butler with two big shots brought his team to 112-109, with 58” left. Holliday fouled out and Middleton’s sixth foul gave Butler a chance to make it 114-19 with 47 minutes left to end the Bucks.
The fifth match will take place in Milwaukee on Thursday morning (04:30).
Twelve minutes: 28-33, 50-57, 78-89, 119-114
See here the statistics of the match
Source: Sport Fm
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