As a surprise to no one, Miami Heat blow once-in-a-generation opportunity
With everything in front of them in Game 2, the Miami Heat laid a huge egg and burned a great once-in-a-generation opportunity against the Milwaukee Bucks.
After a surprising Game 1 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Miami Heat was playing with house money heading into Game 2. However, once it was reported that Giannis Antetokounmpo was officially out for Game 2, Miami was no longer playing with house money. They were given a golden once-in-a-generation opportunity – the chance to take a 2-0 series lead over the top-seeded Bucks with the series shifting to Miami for Games 3 and 4.
As what should come as a surprise to no one, the Heat fumbled that opportunity away and got drubbed in Game 2 against the Giannis-less Bucks. The series is now tied at one game apiece with a Game 3 set in Miami.
Considering all that has been reported about Giannis, the expectation is that he’ll likely be back for Game 3. Assuming he is, the feeling of this series has changed on a dime. When it was reported that Giannis would miss Game 2, there was a sense of “could the Heat really pull off this upset?”
Now, especially after the huge Game 2 win for the Bucks, it’s more of like “ha, that Game 1 win by the Heat was cute but now the Bucks are awake.”
And it’s hard to think otherwise. Miami, as they have for much of the season, looked overwhelmed, disjointed, and uninterested, for much of Game 2. Considering the opportunity that they had heading into that game, that’s, quite frankly, unacceptable for such a veteran-laden team.
The Miami Heat missed their shot to make history
The Heat had a great opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead and then to see what happens back in Miami. They had a great opportunity to truly apply some pressure on the championship favorites in the Eastern Conference. And they farted it away.
I suppose it’s actually quite poetic. The Heat has been a bad team for the majority of the season and when they needed to rise to the occasion most, what was the Heat? A bad team. From the opening jump, they looked like they didn’t belong on the same floor as the Giannis-less Bucks.
I can’t say how bad of a look that is for the Heat organization.
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Can the Heat win Game 3 or 4 and put the pressure right back on the Bucks? Sure, but what makes you think that they will? As far as I’m concerned, this series is over. The Heat missed a great opportunity in Game 2. And I don’t see how they recover at all in this series. Especially not with Giannis on the mend.