In game-one of their opening round playoff series against the Miami Heat, the Bucks lost MVP candidate, Giannis Antetokounmpo to a back injury. The Heat lost guard Tyler Herro to a hand injury.
During the game, pro basketball hall of famer, Reggie Miller, said the Heat losing Herro would be more impactful than the Bucks losing Giannis.
I immediately scoffed at the idea of Herro’s name being included in the same sentence as Giannis – the most dominant player in the World.
But Miller wasn’t comparing the two players, he was comparing the two teams.
In scoring 138 points and making an NBA playoff record-tying twenty-five three-point shots in a game-two win over the Heat, the Bucks proved they are a far deeper team than the Heat.
Consider the case of Pat Connaughton.
The Bucks guard didn’t play a second in game-one of the series. With Giannis and Wesley Matthews sidelined, Connaughton played twenty-five minutes in game-two and scored a playoff career high 22 points on 6-10 shooting from three.
Without Giannis, the Bucks still have 8 players who, if they scored 20 in a game, you wouldn’t be surprised. Seven Bucks scored in double figures Wednesday night.
No, Tyler Herro is not Giannis…not even close, but the Heat’s comparative lack of depth underscores the importance of the player to a team that finished the regular season ranked dead last in points per game.