It seems safe to say that this star-studded first round series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat has lived up to the hype to this point.
After barely escaping Game 1 with a victory in overtime, the Bucks handled their business in far more dominant fashion Monday night with a convincing 132-98 victory over the Heat. Coming out with an immediate sense of urgency, this Milwaukee team was firing on all cylinders throughout the game, most notably by hitting a franchise-record 22 triples.
While the offense was clicking, the tenacious defense that the Bucks have played throughout the first two games in this series has been phenomenal. The team is undoubtedly reaping the rewards from the additions of Jrue Holiday and P.J. Tucker on that side of the ball.
Along with some stellar adjustments from head coach Mike Budenholzer, one thing that has certainly stood out through these first two victories has been the defensive efforts used against Miami’s top tandem.
The Milwaukee Bucks have been great in limiting Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo
After he torched them in the postseason last year, limiting Jimmy Butler’s contribution was among the highest priorities heading into this series for Milwaukee. To do so, they appointed the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo as his main assignment defensively, something that virtually everyone was calling for in last season’s debacle.
The early returns from these two games have been pleasant as Butler is shooting just 2-for-7 across 46.1 partial possessions when being guarded by Antetokounmpo, according to NBA.com/stats. The two-time MVP has surrendered just five points when guarding Butler throughout these first two games, which certainly sparks optimism.
This vigorous defense on the Heat forward has been a trend with the Bucks as P.J. Tucker, the player who has seen the second most time guarding Butler, has also made his imprint. Known for his defensive excellence, Tucker has lived up to the billing as he has held Butler to 0-for-6 shooting when matched up across 16.1 partial possessions. The Bucks traded for Tucker because they knew he would make a massive difference when guarding the best players in the playoffs and the early returns are welcoming.
Thus far, Butler is averaging just 13.5 points while shooting an abysmal 8-for-32 (25 percent) from the floor and 2-for-9 (22.2 percent) from 3-point territory. Learning from last season, the Bucks have rightfully done everything in their power to keep the five-time All-Star at bay as much as possible.
The same can be said for Butler’s running mate in Bam Adebayo, another player that torched the Bucks during last year’s playoff matchup. This time around, Milwaukee has emphasized keeping his contributions to a minimum and a large portion of his heightened struggles must be attributed to the fantastic defensive efforts of big man Brook Lopez.
Being guarded by him for 50.6 partial possessions to this point, Lopez has played suffocating defense on Adebayo by holding him to 6-for-19 (31.6 percent) shooting from the floor. Knowing Adebayo’s sweet spot is close to the basket, Lopez has taken it upon himself to man the post and prevent the big man from getting there with ease.
Scoring just 15 total points on Lopez, it has worked thus far as the big man’s contributions have made things difficult for Adebayo in trying to score the basketball. Following Milwaukee’s win Monday night, Adebayo is now averaging 12.5 points on 9-for-26 (34.6 percent) shooting from the field in this series.
The Bucks have focused heavily on keeping these two stars in check to start the series, which has benefited them greatly. The luxury of having such defensive specialists like Antetokounmpo, Lopez, and Tucker in the rotation is showing early on as the Bucks go up 2-0 against Miami.
They must now continue these dynamic defensive efforts as they travel south for these next two games in Miami. Both Butler and Adebayo can each heat up in a hurry, meaning the Bucks must keep their foot on the gas with this impactful defensive approach.
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May 25, 2021 at 10:00PM
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How the Milwaukee Bucks are limiting Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo - Behind the Buck Pass
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