Milwaukee Bucks snatched a thrilling 109-107 overtime victory against the Miami Heat in their NBA Eastern Conference playoff opener on Saturday, May 22.
Bucks' Khris Middleton nailed a clutch two-pointer with less than one second remaining on the clock to seal a 1-0 lead for the hosts in the 7 game series.
Miami Heat talisman Jimmy Butler had taken the game to overtime at the end of the fourth quarter, driving to the basket to make it 99-99 as time ran out and forced an overtime.
But Middleton’s late basket settled the game in overtime and gave the Bucks the chance to take a grip on the series with game two at home on Monday, May 24.
Middleton’s dramatic winner marked the final act of a pulsating battle between the two Eastern Conference rivals, who also met in last year’s playoffs with the Heat edging out Bucks 4-1 to face the lakers in the finals.
In other series fixture openers, the Brooklyn Nets rallied from a 12-point second-quarter deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 104-93.
In the Western Conference, the fifth seeded Dallas Mavericks came late in the fourth quarter to down the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers 113-103 at the Staples Center.
Defending Champions Los Angeles Lakers will be making a trip over to face second placed Phoenix Suns in their playoffs opener.