Miami Heat Looking To Build Off Early Defensive Success Against Milwaukee Bucks Star Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo has lowest scoring game of the postseason in Game 1 loss to the Miami Heat

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra made a last-minute decision in his defensive plan against Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

It worked to near perfection in the Heat's Game 1 victory Monday in Orlando. Antetokounmpo was held to just 18 points, his lowest scoring output this postseason. Spoelstra opened the game by lining up forward Jae Crowder on Antetokounmpo, the reigning league most valuable player, at the start.

"I knew I was going to get a piece of him," Crowder said. "I didn't know when. I didn't know if I was going to start out on him until (Monday) morning. We knew we had a lot of different bodies to throw at him. I got the assignment early. I got the assignment late. I just wanted to do my part and just make it as tough as possible."

Antetokounmpo, who finished with 10 rebounds and nine assists, shot just 6 of 12 from the field and was only 4 of 12 from the foul line.

"He's a helluva player and we all know that," Crowder said. "We just wanted to throw a lot of different bodies at him just to keep him off balanced a little bit, let him feels us in a lot of different areas. I think we did a decent job with that."

In previous meetings this season, center Bam Adebayo drew the bulk of the Antetokounmpo defensive assignment. He said the game plan is to limit Antetokounmpo's fastbreak opportunities.

"Just try to him slow and limit his transition buckets," Bam Adebayo said. "We know when he gets downhill, he's a problem for people. Just try to limit him to halfcourt so we can shrink the court a little bit."

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