Takeaways from one of the most lopsided losses in Heat history. How did it happen?
The Miami Heat’s regular-season success against the Milwaukee Bucks last season ended up serving as an accurate indication of what a playoff series between the two teams would look like.
But the Heat’s hope is its first matchup against the Bucks this season is just a one-game blip.
After eliminating top-seeded Milwaukee in the second round of last season’s playoffs, the Heat (1-2) was crushed by the Bucks 144-97 in the teams’ first matchup this season Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena. The 47-point loss is tied for the Heat’s second-most lopsided defeat in franchise history, only behind a 68-point loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1991, and it’s the largest road win in Bucks history.
Miami posted a 6-2 record against Milwaukee last season, including a 4-1 playoff series win.
“It was pretty clear to everybody in the arena and anybody that was watching that game, at least for the first 20 minutes of it, that they were playing at a different urgency and intensity level,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It looked like they’ve been thinking about this game for 80 days.”
The Heat was without Jimmy Butler on Tuesday against the Bucks (2-2) because of a sprained right ankle.
Miami never led in the game, and Milwaukee led by as many as 51 points in a record-setting performance. The Bucks shot 55.4 percent from the field and set a new NBA single-game record with 29 made threes, surpassing the previous mark of 27 made threes set by the Houston Rockets on April 7, 2019.
“I think just making second efforts and just making that extra effort to be in the paint, to be able to stop Giannis from getting downhill and then really sprinting out to the three-point line to get to the shooters,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said of the defensive issues that led to the Bucks’ record-setting night from three-point range. “It’s not easy. They got a very dynamic team where they can shoot and also put it in the paint.”
The Heat also committed 22 turnovers that the Bucks turned into 31 points.
“They made shots and we had too many turnovers,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “That’s the simplest way I can put it.”
Milwaukee was dominant despite just nine points and six rebounds from two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Instead, it was the duo of Khris Middleton (25 points) and Jrue Holiday (24 points) who led the Bucks.
The Heat and Bucks will face off again Wednesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena on the back end of their back-to-back two-game “series” in Miami designed to reduce travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here are five takeaways from the Heat’s loss to the Bucks:
The Heat obviously missed Butler against the Bucks on Tuesday, and Miami may miss its All-Star wing in Wednesday’s game against Milwaukee, too.
Before Tuesday’s contest, Spoelstra labeled Butler (sprained right ankle) as “day to day.” Butler watched the game from the Heat’s bench in casual clothes.
When asked whether Butler could play in Wednesday’s game, Spoelstra said: “I don’t want to get into percentages. He’s out tonight and we’ll continue to re-evaluate him every day.”
Butler, 31, injured his right ankle during Wednesday’s season-opening loss to the Orlando Magic. He attempted to play through the injury on Christmas Day against the New Orleans Pelicans, but right ankle stiffness forced him to miss the second half.
Butler missed 15 regular-season games last season, with the Heat posting a 6-9 record in those games.
Without Butler, the Heat stuck with a big starting lineup Tuesday. But that strategy didn’t work.
Miami started the double big frontcourt of Adebayo and Meyers Leonard for the second consecutive game, and opted to start 6-7 Moe Harkless in Butler’s place. It’s already the Heat’s third different starting lineup in the first three games of the season.
But that big-big look didn’t work Tuesday, with Spoelstra making the first substitution — Goran Dragic in for Leonard — just 2:02 into the game after the Bucks opened on a 10-0 run. The switch from the 7-footer to the 6-3 Dragic shifted the Heat to an ultra-small lineup.
In search of a spark, Spoelstra used six reserves in the first half: Dragic, Kelly Olynyk, Precious Achiuwa, Avery Bradley, KZ Okpala and Kendrick Nunn.
The Heat then began the second half with a different look than the one it started the game with, using a lineup of Herro, Bradley, Duncan Robinson, Okpala and Adebayo to begin the third quarter.
Veteran forward Andre Iguodala (rest) was on the Heat’s bench, but not in uniform Tuesday. Spoelstra said he plans to play Iguodala on Wednesday after resting him on the front end of the back-to-back.
How bad was the Heat’s start Tuesday? Historically bad.
The Heat finished the first quarter down 46-26. Miami committed 10 turnovers, and Milwaukee shot 68 percent from the field and 8 of 12 on threes in the period.
It’s the second-most first-quarter points the Heat has allowed in franchise history, and it’s also tied for the fifth-most points the Heat has allowed in any single quarter in franchise history.
It didn’t get much better from there, as the Bucks’ lead expanded to 83-51 entering halftime. That 32-point hole is tied for the Heat’s second-largest halftime deficit in franchise history.
In addition, Milwaukee’s 83 points represented the most points the Heat has allowed in the first half and the second-most points the Heat has allowed in any half in franchise history.
It’ll be hard for the Heat to come away with positive takeaways from Tuesday’s blowout loss, but Herro did find his offensive rhythm.
Herro, 20, finished with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field and 3-of-8 shooting on threes, three rebounds and seven assists in 33 minutes. He scored 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting in the first half.
In the first two games of the season, Herro averaged 12 points on 37.5 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent shooting on threes.
The Heat took a small step forward Tuesday toward allowing fans back inside AmericanAirlines Arena.
While the Heat will continue to play home games without any fans in attendance through the end of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, about 100 family members and team and player guests were permitted to attend Tuesday’s contest against the Bucks. Those in attendance were scattered around the lower bowl and socially distanced from other groups, and they were required to wear masks while at their seats.
Spoelstra said before Tuesday’s game that his wife, Nikki, would be among those in attendance. It marked the first time family and friends have been allowed inside the arena to watch a Heat home game this season.
Nothing official has been announced yet on whether fans will or will not be allowed to attend games at AmericanAirlines Arena beyond the end of 2020.
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 9:57 PM.
