Just a two-game slate on Monday night in the NBA Playoffs, but they didn’t disappoint. Milwaukee starts their second round the way they started the first. And the Thunder stay alive yet again.. Let’s catch up on what went down last night.
Butler Overwhelms the Bucks in Crunch Time
At least one of the Eastern Conference Game 1’s lived up to the hype. This series is going to be a battle.
The Heat scored 115 points, which isn’t an incredible total in today’s NBA. But it was still an uncharacteristic game for Milwaukee’s best defense in the NBA. They allowed the heat to score 42 points in the paint, an area where they were best in the league at defending this year.
It was also an uncharacteristic game on the offensive end for the Bucks, who turned the ball over 19 times, leading to 28 points for Miami.
All the credit in the world for the Bucks’ offensive struggles goes to the Heat’s defense. Starting with their defense on Giannis Anetokounmpo. Miami swarmed Giannis the entire game. Whenever he attempted to go near the paint, whether on a drive or a post up, they made him see what looked like 50 bodies. He ended up taking just 12 shots in the game and finished with 18 points.
It didn’t help Milwaukee that they missed 12 free throws as well, eight by Giannis.
As tends to happen in games like this, with two elite defenses in a battle to the end of the game, it generally comes down to which star steps up.
Monday night, that was Jimmy Butler. And I guess I have to apologize, because in this same column just a day ago, I pointed out how Butler shot 28 percent in clutch time this season. Not in Game 1. In the last five minutes of Game 1, Butler scored 13 points on 5-5 shooting from the field. He finished with 40 points in the game, his playoff career-high. Butler looked like the best player on the floor in the second half, and that was the difference in the Heat’s 115-104 win.
Worth noting Eric Bledsoe did not play in Game 1 with something they are apparently calling Hamstring “awareness.” Goran Dragic had 27 points for Miami, and it would be interesting to see how Bledsoe’s ball pressure may have changed that.
It remains to be seen what Bledsoe’s status is for Game 2, but for now, Miami has a 1-0 lead over the Bucks. I can’t wait for Game 2; this series is going to be fun.
Thunder Force Game 7 After Sloppy Game 6 Battle
It makes sense that this series is going to a game seven. It just seemed destined to end up this way.
Game 6 was pretty rough for both sides. The two teams combined for 41 turnovers. But it was the Thunder who were able to squeeze out just enough offense to get it done, winning 104-100.
Chris Paul put OKC on his back once again, and the best clutch team in the league during the regular season pulled out another close one. Paul finished with 28 points, and Danilo Gallinari added 25. Lu Dort knocked down two three-pointers of his own, a miracle, and a huge boost for the Thunder.
The Rockets defense was almost able to carry the Rockets through another game, but it couldn’t overcome Russell Westbrook.
As positive an impact as Russ had on Houston in his Game 5 return, he was the opposite in Game 6. Westbrook ended up with three assists and seven turnovers. And they weren’t just any turnovers; they were some of the ugliest turnovers you could get on a basketball court. Russ air-balled a free throw line jumper to add insult to injury with less than a minute in the game to potentially take the lead.
Houston won’t win Game 7 and has no shot against the Lakers in these NBA Playoffs with Game 6 Russ.
It was a sloppy dogfight of a game, which is what OKC wants in this series. Hopefully, Game 7 has a little more excitement then Game 6, because this one was a tough watch.
For even more breakdown of the NBA Playoffs, listen to the NBA Morning Deuce, Belly Up Sports’ newest Daily NBA Podcast. The deuce covers everything you need to know from the night and day before in the association. Episodes are available by 6 am Monday through Friday where you listen to podcasts.
