2013 NBA Playoffs: Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks, Game 3 Takeaways

5 Takeaways From Miami Heat v Milwaukee Bucks Game 3

The Miami Heat just about finished off the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday night by taking a decisive 3-0 lead in the first-round series.

The Heat came out flat in the first quarter, losing the opening period 21-30. While LeBron James had it going early, his sidekicks Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade combined for 0-8 shooting from the field in the first quarter and were kept scoreless.

However, following the slow start, Miami won all of the remaining quarters and ended up with yet another easy victory.

It has become scary how easy this series is to the Heat. Every time you think that the Bucks have a chance to steal the game, Miami shifts gears, goes on a run and closes out their opponents in a matter of a couple of minutes.

While the Heat are doing just enough to beat their opponents, they are not looking particularly impressive. This makes their inevitable second-round series highly anticipated, as it could very well bring out the best of the team.

The Bucks played quite well in game three, limiting Wade to just four points on 1-12 shooting. Practically all of Wade’s shots seemed to rim out, and when he drove to the rim he was met by the long arms of Larry Sanders.

Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings continued their slumping, as they were taking contested threes like they usually do. The two guards combined for 7-24 from the field.

The game might not have been that exciting, but there were certainly several pleasant, and not so pleasant, takeaways for both teams.

Vytis is a Miami Heat and NBA columnist for RantSports. You can follow him on Twitter here: @VytisLasaitis

Miami Continues Domination on the Boards

Miami was the worst rebounding team in the NBA in the regular season, except when they played Milwaukee. Even in the regular season, the Heat rebounded at a rate which would have led the league when they were up against the Bucks, and yesterday marked the third straight game in which Miami outrebounded their opponents. While enjoying such an advantage on the glass is positive, the Heat should not get too comfortable. Other teams could easily expose Miami's weak rebounding.

Ray Allen Thrives In the Playoffs

Allen’s minutes are up and he is producing. He dropped 23 points in game three, including five three-pointers, and he has been great in this series. He is averaging 16.7 points per game over the first three postseason games. Allen has always been great in clutch situations and when the stakes are high he has proven to be a bona fide winner. His three-pointers in game three were very timely and put the nail in the Bucks' coffin. Such great production from Allen is very encouraging for the Heat.

Dwyane Wade Doesn’t Need To Score

While Wade struggled from the field and shot 1-12, he dished out 11 assists and grabbed nine rebounds to make up for his poor shooting night. Even though Wade had an abysmal night scoring-wise, it was great to see him finding other ways to leave an imprint on the game. He wasn't trying to force his way out of the slump and instead looked for open teammates.

Ersan Ilyasova and Larry Sanders Are the Bucks’ Most Important Players

Sanders had a double-double in game three, putting up 16 points and 11 rebounds. Ilyasova added 15 points and eight rebounds of his own. With the two big men playing this well, it hurts that much more to see Jennings and Ellis forcing tough shots. Sanders might not be a great offensive player, but Ilyasova should certainly get more touches than he does. His exceptional three-point shooting ability and quick slips in the pick and roll add a dimension to the Bucks' offense that is not exploited enough.

The Series Is Over

You could argue that this series was over before it even began, but the Heat confirmed that in game three. With a 3-0 lead going into game four, you can book Miami in the second round of the playoffs. Milwaukee will still have a shot at avoiding the sweep, but at this point it doesn't look good. Throughout the first three games one fact has remained constant -- the Heat can close the game at will by flipping the proverbial switch.