MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks removed any mystery well before tipoff. Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a sore back. There wasn’t any mystery to the game either.

Without him, the Bucks still dominated the Miami Heat, winning Game 2 138-122 to even the series at 1-1. Because of some garbage time baskets by the Heat in the fourth quarter, the final score didn’t accurately reflect how one-sided this game was.

Unlike Game 1, this was more like the regular season. The Bucks were the team draining 3’s (25) while the Heat misfired. The Bucks and their fans commanded this game. The Bucks had three players score over 20 points: Brook Lopez with 25, Jrue Holiday with 24 and Pat Connaughton with 22.

Yes, Miami got the split they needed in Milwaukee against the top-seeded Bucks.

In my view though, the Heat squandered a golden opportunity to seize control of the series by beating the Bucks without Giannis in Game 2. They weren’t even close. It was a team victory by the Bucks — the kind of win that can build momentum.

The series shifts to Miami for the next two games. We know it will be back in Milwaukee for Game 5.