Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks betting tips and predictions for Thursday’s NBA game at Fiserv Forum. For the first time this season it’s the Bucks and Heats clashing at FTX Arena in what should be an epic encounter between two East coast powerhouses. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.
Miami Heat
In their last game, a 112-111 win over the OKC Thunder, the Miami Heat broke one of the most unusual records there is in the NBA. As a team they went 40-for-40 from the free throw line, in what was one of the wildest games we’ve seen this regular season. Jimmy Butler alone went 23-for-23 from the charity stripe, finishing with 35 points total and leading the Heat to their 12th home win of the season.
Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo each sat out the game, so it was up to Butler to once again turn back the clock and carry the team on his back. There are some good news on the injury front as Adebayo has been cleared to play, but Herro and Kyle Lowry remain out of the line-up. Can the Heat cope without those two with Milwaukee? They are 10-5 SU in the last 15 games overall, however in the last 10 head-to-head they have only 3 wins vs Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are in a similar spot with Khris Middleton and Serge Ibaka both being out of the line-up. The absence of Ibaka they can get over, but without Middleton I honestly can’t see them going far in the postseason. Tonight’s game vs Miami is a favorable one as the Bucks have 7 wins in the last 9 meetings, plus vs East teams they are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games.
However, we need to take into account that this will be a 2nd game in 2 nights for them after their 114-105 win at Atlanta last night. Giannis finished with just 7 points in that game, which is very unusual for him, but the depth of the Bucks roster and 27 points from Jrue Holiday and 20 points from Brook Lopez, allowed them to get an important win. Milwaukee is top of the NBA in opponent three-point percentage over their last 3 games, but with Herro not playing that might not even matter tonight.
The Heat are a strong bunch at home even if their record reads only 12-9 SU in 21 games played. I’m expecting a close game, their last two have been decided by a single point. Miami pulls out a close one at home.
Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks Predictions & Odds
I don’t think there will be a ton of points scored in tonight’s game, these two teams are averaging just 223.7 points per game over their last 10 meetings. However, the biggest stat worth mentioning is the 4-9 record on the O/U in the last 13 meetings in Miami. Milwaukee is notorious for going under the total in road games this season, they’ve done so in 14 of 20 games. Even against a poor defensive side like Atlanta they managed just 114 points last night, so I expect them to be on top of their game defensively.
The same goes for Miami, just a game after slowing down the Nets and allowing just 102 points, they allowed just 111 vs the high flying Thunder. Miami is averaging 107.2 points per game over their last 5, while the Bucks are at 112.5 per game. With the two teams ranking 4th and 5th in defensive efficiency, I have no choice but to back the under in this game.
