Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 19/04/2023, 01:14  by Joseph King | Modified on 19/04/2023 at 02:14 in NBA Predictions

The Eastern Conference first round in the NBA playoffs continues with game two as the Milwaukee Bucks look to bounce back after dropping the first game to the Miami Heat. These two teams have become very familiar with one another in recent years as this is now the third time in the last four years that they have met in the postseason. The Heat famously trounced the Bucks 4-1 in 2020 to make the NBA Finals before Milwuakee would eventually get revenge in 2021 with a 4-0 sweep en route to winning the title. Miami got off to a dream start after a 130-117 win to pull ahead 1-0 in this best-of-seven series and can take a huge step towards the next round if they are able to win here and take a 2-0 lead back to South Beach. The winner of this series will face off against either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the New York Knicks in the second round. 

Both teams saw key players go down in game one; the Heat lost former sixth man of the year winner Tyler Herro for the next 4-6 weeks with a broken hand while the Bucks saw their two-time MVP superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo leave the game early on. The Greek Freak is listed as doubtful to play in this game and the recent line movement would suggest the oddsmakers agree as the spread has already dropped three points. Naturally, Giannis’ absence will be much more widely felt than that of Herro, although it is important to note that Herro provides Miami with an instant scoring spark as the 23-year-old averaged 20.1 points per game in the regular season. The Bucks could find themselves in for a tough time on Wednesday as they see their winning percentage drop significantly without Antetokounmpo in the team. With the Heat boasting one of the league’s best defenses, there is a good chance they can keep this game close and potentially even steal it