With Giannis Antetokounmpo’s first triple-double in the playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat 120-103 and completed a 4-0 sweep of the NBA runners-up in the first round.
The Bucks, who will play the second round against the Brooklyn Nets or the Boston Celtics, thus took revenge for the elimination at the hands of the Heat in the playoffs last year.
Before their fans at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and the rest of the Heat came out determined to avoid elimination on the fast track, arriving at halftime with a 64-57 advantage.
But just back from the locker room, the Bucks hit the gas with a 24-4 partial that gave them an advantage that they did not give up until the end.
Antetokounmpo, who is chasing his long-awaited first NBA Finals, signed just 5 points in the first half but ended up notching his first postseason triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 15 assists.
For Miami, Butler had another triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, and Adebayo had 20 points and 14 rebounds, but the Heat’s secondaries again had a disappointing performance.
After the great effort in the past playoffs at Disney World, where they lost in the Finals against the Lakers, the Heat have starred in a mediocre season in which they were on the verge of having to play the ‘play in’ (repechage) to the playoffs. (GG) (AFP)