Bucks, without Giannis Antetokounmpo, dominate Heat to tie series at one

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Brook Lopez scored 25 points, Jrue Holiday added 24 and the hot-shooting Milwaukee Bucks withstood Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence while trouncing the Miami Heat 138-122 on Wednesday night, tying their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at a game apiece.

The Bucks went 25 of 49 on 3-point attempts to tie the NBA record for 3-point baskets in a postseason game. Pat Connaughton, who didn't even play in Game 1, added a playoff career-high 22 points while going 6 of 10 from beyond the arc.

Antetokounmpo remained out for Milwaukee after leaving the Bucks' 130-117 Game 1 loss early in the second quarter with a bruised lower back. The two-time MVP suffered the injury on a hard fall after getting fouled late in the first period during a drive to the basket.

"We’ll continue to monitor him and expect for him to improve and still continue to be optimistic that soon he’ll be ready to play," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said before the game.

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Brook Lopez #11 & Jrue Holiday #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks high-fives during the game during round one game two of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2023, at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  (Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images))

The Bucks also were missing guard Wesley Matthews, who had strained his right calf in Game 1. The Heat didn’t have Tyler Herro, who broke his right hand in Game 1 and likely won’t return this season unless Miami reaches the NBA Finals.

For at least one night, the Bucks didn’t miss Antetokounmpo at all as they capitalized on a dramatic turnaround in 3-point shooting. In Game 1, the Bucks went 11 of 45