Jimmy Butler's Late FTs Push Heat Past Giannis, Bucks for 2-0 Series Lead

The Milwaukee Bucks may be the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Miami Heat are in full control of their second-round playoff series.

Miami seized a commanding 2-0 lead with a stunning 116-114 victory in Wednesday's Game 2 at Walt Disney World Resort. The officiating played a starring role, as Goran Dragic was whistled for a questionable foul with the Heat nursing a three-point lead in the final seconds that sent Khris Middleton to the line to shoot three.

After Middleton made all three, Jimmy Butler drew a foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo in the last second and hit two free throws to win it.

While Butler made the winning free throws, Dragic led the way as one of seven Miami players in double figures in a balanced effort, further proving the Heat are a problem for the Bucks as the only Eastern Conference team to beat them twice in the regular season.

Notable Player Stats

• Goran Dragic, G, MIA: 23 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL
• Jimmy Butler, F, MIA: 13 PTS, 6 AST, 3 STL
• Bam Adebayo, F, MIA: 15 PTS, 9 REB
• Tyler Herro, G, MIA: 17 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST
• Jae Crowder, F, MIA: 16 PTS, 6 REB
• Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, MIL: 29 PTS, 14 REB
• Khris Middleton, F, MIL: 23 PTS, 8 AST, 6 REB
• Eric Bledsoe, G, MIL: 16 PTS, 7 REB

Supporting Cast Rules the Day for Miami

Butler was the storyline for the Heat in Game 1, and for good reason.

After all, he scored 13 points and made all five of his field-goal attempts in the final four minutes while outplaying the reigning MVP with the game on the line. He finished with 40 points and proved unstoppable down the stretch with a combination of outside shooting, elbow jumpers and timely drives.

However, Dragic ran much of the offense in the early going, and Wednesday was no different.

The point guard poured in 17 points in the first half alone as Miami's only double-digit scorer by intermission. The Heat worked him into favorable matchups by setting screens up top, and he either connected from the outside when defenders didn't press up or exploited angles in the lane to score himself or facilitate for others when Milwaukee collapsed.

Dragic was far from the only supporting cast member who carried the Heat for stretches, as Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk all found their stroke from deep while Bam Adebayo scored at the rim and provided key rebounding. 

Derrick Jones Jr. and Crowder played terrific defense for stretches by forcing turnovers, challenging shooters and blocking shots as Miami held off every Milwaukee spurt.

Still, it was Butler who made the winning play at the end after the Heat blew a six-point lead in the final minute. If the supporting cast continues to contribute in bunches and Butler plays the role of superhero closer, Miami can ride the formula all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Mistakes Add Up for Bucks

There were some welcome signs for the Bucks even in defeat.

Eric Bledsoe wasted no time making an impact after he missed Game 1 with a hamstring injury. He led Milwaukee scorers with 14 points in the first half and showed plenty of burst attacking the basket, which was a much-needed boost considering Giannis and Middleton dealt with foul trouble in the early going.

Brook Lopez also kept the Bucks within striking distance by pulling defenders away from the rim and connecting from deep multiple times even as the Heat controlled the early portion of the game.

Antetokounmpo also bounced back from a statistical perspective after he scored 18 points and missed eight free throws in the first game. He bullied his way to the rim a number of times despite inconsistent playing time and being on the bench while trailing with six minutes remaining.

However, the mistakes added up over the course of the game.

The Bucks finished with 14 turnovers and shot just 7-of-25 (28 percent) from three-point range. That type of shooting is not going to win this series, especially when the Heat form a wall around the rim to cut off Antetokounmpo's penetration.

Milwaukee also didn't score between 5:30 and 1:45 in the fourth quarter, a stretch that proved extra costly after the Bucks' late charge fell just short.

What's Next?

Game 3 of the series is Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.