A mammoth game from Hassan Whiteside tipped the scales in Miami’s favor.
After a convincing, near 20-point victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Sunday January 14, the Miami Heat squared off against the Bucks again on Wednesday, for the second of three meetups this season. With starting shooting guard Tyler Johnson sidelined to an ankle injury, Miami injected Derrick Jones Jr. into the starting five.
His third start in five games with Miami, the occasion marked just the 11th start in Jones Jr.’s two-year career. Despite being the Miami’s 14th different starting lineup to grace the hardwood, Heat staples Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic set the game’s pace early.
On the defensive side, Whiteside once again nullified Bucks’ center John Henson, who had a pair of his shots rejected early in the contest. With the interior fortified by Whiteside’s length, the brunt of the night’s effort fell on the shoulders of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s defender.
James Johnson started the evening guarding Milwaukee’s All-Star favorite, but the assignment was shared with Jones Jr. and Bam Adebayo. Pesky coverage by Jones Jr.’s, in part to his stealthy hands, length and athleticism proved a useful deterrent against Antetokounmpo, but the big man still had his way, posting 22 points.
The Heat also looked to make a statement in limiting the Bucks’ offense for the length of the court. A full court press midway through the first pressured Milwaukee, but the Bucks bounced back behind Tony Snell’s sharpshooting from 3-point land.
The game further shifted in favor of Milwaukee, when Whiteside sat to begin the second quarter. With the lane free, the Bucks found a series of drives and kickouts that flipped a once nine-point Heat lead to a five-point Milwaukee lead by halftime.
While the Heat’s offense slowed to a crawl in the third quarter, Whiteside’s domination in the paint kept Miami afloat. 11 points in the third and 27 in the game, along with 13 boards and six blocks was a testament to Whiteside’s utility amidst trade rumors.
Barring runs from either side, the contest stayed competitive through the fourth. Following a standout week as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Dragic’s contributions were muted. The guard posted just four points and one assist after halftime and spent much of the fourth on the bench. Six straight points from Kelly Olynyk however, gave Miami one of the game’s 19 lead changes, shifting the tides late in the quarter.
Down the stretch however, it’d be a corner 3 from Justise Winslow and a Winslow-Whiteside alley-oop that would doctor a five-point lead for Miami. A pair of Wayne Ellington free throws sealed the Buck’s fate and Miami secured its final game in Milwaukee’s BMO Harris Bradley Center.
Next: The impact of losing Miami Heat guard Tyler Johnson to injury
Miami will resume play on Friday, January 19, against the Brooklyn Nets.