MANILA, Philippines — Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat took a 2-0 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks after an escape act, 116-114, in Game Two of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time).
Butler converted on two free throws with no time left on the clock to give the Heat the win.
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Jimmy Butler comes up CLUTCH at the line, putting the @MiamiHEAT up 2-0!
Game 3 ? Fri. (9/4) at 6:30pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/CqJDwzVjuw— NBA (@NBA) September 3, 2020
The Heat controlled the pace for most of the game, with a balanced offensive effort and stingy defense subduing Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
With 19.8 ticks left in the game, the Heat were leading the Bucks by six.
But Milwaukee clawed back from the grave with buckets from Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.
Khris Middleton then knotted the score at 114 after sinking three free throws off of a foul from Goran Dragic with 4.3 seconds left in the game.
While the game loooked to head to overtime, Butler was fouled by Antetokounmpo in the last possession with no time left on the clock to give him the game-winning free throws.
Dragic led the Heat with 23 points.
A total of seven Heat players finished in double digits.
After a 40-point outing in Game One, Butler only tallied 13 points.
Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 29 points and 14 rebounds while Middleton chipped in 23 points.
Both the first and second seed in the East are now down 0-2, with both Milwaukee and the Toronto Raptors losing their first two games against the Heat and the Boston Celtics, respectively.