{"id":270758,"date":"2023-04-27T08:26:45","date_gmt":"2023-04-27T13:26:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=270758"},"modified":"2023-04-27T13:39:03","modified_gmt":"2023-04-27T18:39:03","slug":"underdog-heat-upset-1-seed-bucks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/underdog-heat-upset-1-seed-bucks\/","title":{"rendered":"Underdog #8 Miami Heat Upsets #1 Milwaukee Bucks, Advances to East Semis"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Miami Heat, as a #8 seed, has pulled off a remarkable upset, knocking out the #1 Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the NBA’s Eastern Conference playoffs.<\/p>\n

\"Jimmy
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler takes a game-tying shot at the end of regulation against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. (Image: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Heat needed only five games to dispatch the top-seeded Bucks and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. They also became the first Play-In Tournament team since the format’s inception in 2021 to win an opening-round series.<\/p>\n

The short-handed Heat were missing two key players yet still buried the Bucks. Shooting guard Tyler Herro fractured his right hand<\/a> while diving for a loose ball in Game 1. Backup guard Victor Oladipo sustained a postseason-ending knee injury<\/a> in Game 3.<\/p>\n

We just play hard,”<\/strong> said Heat star point forward Jimmy Butler. “We know what we’re capable of. We don’t listen to the outside noise, and we will not listen to any outside noise.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Bucks were a huge favorite to win the opening-round series at -1200 odds. No other first-round series had a bigger favorite than the Bucks.<\/p>\n

The Heat were installed as a +750 underdog after they secured the #8 seed via the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament. Oddsmakers set the series spread at -2.5 games, which suggested the Bucks would send the Heat packing in five games.<\/p>\n

Jimmy Buckets Led Comebacks<\/h2>\n

Butler spearheaded consecutive comeback victories after the Heat fell behind by double digits in the fourth quarter in the last two games.<\/p>\n

Butler exploded for 56 points in a Game 5 victory on Monday night in Miami. He followed up that franchise record-setting performance with 42 points in an overtime win in Game 5.<\/p>\n

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra wanted to use Butler as a decoy in the final regulation play to send Game 5 into overtime. However, Butler persuaded his coach to give him the ball.<\/p>\n

Jimmy looked me dead in the eye and he just said, ‘No. Let me be that guy,'”<\/strong> said Spoelstra.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Butler caught a near-perfect inbound pass from teammate Gabe Vincent and knocked down a game-tying shot with 0.5 seconds on the clock to send the game into overtime. The Heat erased a 16-point deficit to force overtime after the Bucks went ice-cold in crunch time<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Last postseason, the Bucks were eliminated in the conference semifinals after forward Khris Middleton sustained a knee injury in the opening round. Fans strongly believed that a healthy squad would have successfully defended its NBA championship to win back-to-back titles.<\/p>\n

\n

The Bucks headed into this year’s postseason with a healthy team until disaster struck in Game 1. Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his back and played only 11 minutes in the loss. He missed the next two games before returning in Game 4. Antetokounmpo scored 38 points and hauled down 20 points in the Game 5 loss.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Bucks began the postseason as the consensus favorite at +265 odds to win the championship this season, which would have given them their second title in the last three seasons.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n<\/span>