The Milwaukee Bucks were the best team in the league in the regular season but they simply could not transform that form to the playoffs. They blew up a 16-point lead in Game 5, which was a must-win game for them. But they once again allowed the Miami Heat to take advantage of them in the latter stages of the fourth quarter.
Heat won the match 128-126 in overtime, courtesy of Jimmy Butler’s 42-point game. After the defeat, the Bucks were eliminated as they lost the series 3-1. Many fans were still in shock that Giannis Antetokounmpo and his men are going out in the first round. But many analysts believe that their coach Mike Budenholzer should be criticized for his mistakes.
In the latest podcast on ESPN, “Keyshawn, JWill and Max Show, Jay Williams slammed Budenholzer. He criticized the coach for not calling timeouts when the Bucks were out of ideas late in the game. “The decisions that coach Budenholzer made are fireable offenses,” Williams said. “Even the last possession, you had two timeouts. Grayson Allen looks like he doesn’t know what the hell he’s going to … call a timeout the play looks busted.”
There were two instances where the coach could have used his timeouts. The first play was when Butler amazingly made a game-tying shot and the Bucks decided to inbound the ball as the game entered overtime. The second play saw Gabe Vincent attempt a deep three-pointer and Giannis picked up the rebound but Budenholzer did not call the timeout.
“Giannis attacked and got the ball to Kris (Middelton),” Budenholzer said. “That’s how we always play. It’s been good to us.”
Budenholzer wanted to trust his players to make the play but that unfortunately did not happen. But when he had the choices he should have taken the timeouts as it would have given his team better looks at the rim. On top of that, it was a must-win game and one had to think that way, which the veteran simply did not.
It was a rough game as the Bucks failed to take home-court advantage and extend the series to Game 6. After the defeat, Antetokounmpo shared that the team did not adapt to their opponents in this series and hence they are on the losing end.
“I don’t think as a team we made the right — or we didn’t make as many adjustments as we could against them,” Antetokounmpo said after Game 5.
Antetokounmpo was asked whether he should have guarded Butler instead of Jrue Holiday. While the Greek Freak was all about respecting his coach’s decision, he also spoke his mind about the match-up.
Out of respect, you gotta let the coach make that adjustment,” Antetokounmpo said. “We have our best defender on him. There are conversations with Jrue (Holiday). Whenever he gets tired, I can take him. He’s so competitive. He plays so hard. He wants to take the challenge. But at the end of the day, I wish I could guard him more.”
The Miami Heat will now play the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs. The Knicks have defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1 and would look to carry forward that momentum.
