Jimmy Butler III scored 40 points, and the Miami Heat closed the fourth quarter on a 20-8 run to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-104 for a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Bucks led 96-95 when Butler’s 8-foot floater put the Heat ahead for good with 5:50 left. He scored 15 points during the run.
During clutch time, the Heat outscored the Bucks 10-2. Butler scored 5 of the Heat’s 10 on 2 for 2 shooting.
Goran Dragic scored 27 points on 9 for 15 shooting.
For the Bucks, Khris Middleton scored 28 points, and Brook Lopez added 24 points (12 on 4 3-pointers) on 8 for 10 shooting.
The Heat went 25 for 27 at the line to the Bucks’ 14 for 26 and outscored them 42-24 in the paint. The Bucks turned it over 19 times, about 5 more than usual for this many possessions. Middleton fouled out.