The Milwaukee Bucks begin their quest to make it two titles in three years when they host the Miami Heat in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. The Bucks are the top seed in the East and the biggest favorite on opening weekend at -9. Milwaukee, the 8th seed, is -425 on the moneyline while the total sits at 219. Miami is priced at +345 on the ML. All lines from BetOnline.
This is the teams’ third meeting in the playoffs in the last four seasons. Miami won in five games in 2020 and Milwaukee won in a sweep in 2021.
Milwaukee Bucks (58-24, #1 seed)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the man among men. He’s twice been named the NBA MVP and is a finalist again this year for the award. Giannis is a finals MVP and a former defensive player of the year. He averaged nearly a point a minute this season (31.1 points, 32.1 minutes per game). Antetokounmpo has also been a prolific player scorer with an average of 31.7 PPG.
Giannis’ game is so pure that it may not stand out for a casual 👇🏽 He isn’t going to take advantage of this open era of defense and spacing to stat pad, he doesn’t go for triple doubles, he isn’t doing “highlight” plays. Straight half court buckets at his own pace. It wins. pic.twitter.com/PNrcR1FXTY
— DJ_B0B- (@DJ_B0B) April 14, 2023
Milwaukee has high expectations with a core group that also includes Jrue Holiday, Defensive Player of the Year finalist Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis and is just two years removed from winning the NBA title.
The Bucks are very aware of the value of having homecourt advantage after their title defense of a year ago came to an end in Boston. The Celtics took advantage of playing at home to prevail in Game 7.
Miami Heat (45-39, 8th seed)
The Heat were the last team to qualify in the East after finishing Friday’s win with a 15-1 run and a 102-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Max Strus and Jimmy Butler both scored 31 points setting up another round of the always fun Butler vs. Giannis matchup:
Throwback to when Jimmy said Giannis can't guard him pic.twitter.com/YWRJxly1VL
— HEAT NATION (@Zachppp) April 15, 2023
The Heat, who lost to the Celtics in the East finals last season, won nine fewer games in the regular season, finishing 44-38, than they did a year ago.
Previous Meetings
Milwaukee and Miami went 2-2 during the regular season with the home team winning all four matchups.
The Heat won two games in three days in January as Antetokounmpo missed both games due to knee soreness. He played in both of the Bucks’ wins in February though he left the 128-99 victory Feb. 24 due to a knee injury.
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