Former NBA Champion Picks Miami Heat as Favorites Against Milwaukee Bucks in NBA Playoffs

The post-season kick-off began with a scare for the Milwaukee Bucks. They lost their first game of the Playoffs and folks were quick to claim that the Bucks are losing their sheen. But from then on, the Bucks kept Orlando Magic in check and won the next four games, staying at least 14 points ahead each time.

Nikola Vucevic averaged a career-high 28 ppg in NBA Playoffs 2020 for Orlando Magic against Bucks. The Bucks were too strong for a one-man show to fight them. But now they face an uphill task against the Miami Heat in Conference semi-final. The Bucks are favorites to reach the NBA finals, but Miami Heat has got the talent to deny them the march-ahead.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat: The Odds

The Eastern Conference by far showed not one interesting series. The Top 3 teams had a combined 12-1 record. It was only the fourth seed Indiana Pacers that could not hold their campaign against a lower-ranked Miami Heat. The Heat was so good that they defended 99 points in their last outing and conceded just 87.

Now some experts are betting their money on the Miami Heat. Former NBA Champion Matt Barnes said, “I got Miami winning.” The report card also says that Heat has troubled the Bucks more than any other side. 

The Heat are 2-1 up in the regular season. In their last meeting, both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton got 33 points each, but the Heat still gave them a decent competition in the absence of star Jimmy Butler.

Giannis Antetokounmpo vs Bam Adebayo: The young battle

The Greek Freak is just unstoppable inside the paint. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year does not allow anyone to pull breaks on him. But the 23-YO Bam can pose problems for Giannis Antetokounmpo with his strong defense. The 6’9” Adebayo has the prowess and physical strength to convert a Giannis trademark spin-around into a shocking turnover. 

Bam will also have good support from Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic in their bid to stop Giannis. But one problem for the Heat remains their low percentage of shots attempted from the restricted area (24.9%) against Milwaukee’s 28.8%.

Jimmy Butler is another important weapon for them as he has averaged close to 20 points in the Playoffs so far. But winning a match or two is one thing, but keeping the momentum to win a best-of-7 demands something else. They will play Game 1 on Monday, Aug. 31, at 06:30 PM ET.

Will Miami Heat come out as a winner? Help us know your views in the comment section.