Heat vs. Bucks Prediction & Odds
The eighth-seeded Miami Heat head to Milwaukee to take on the top-seeded Bucks on NBA TV Wednesday night at 9:00 PM ET in Game 2 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Can the Bucks cover the 6-point spread as home favorites?
Miami leads the series 1-0.
The Miami Heat went 44-38 in the regular season. They are 2-1 in the play-in and playoffs this season. The Heat are 32-50-3 ATS on the year.
The Milwaukee Bucks went 58-24 in the regular season. They’re 0-1 in the playoffs this season. The Bucks are 43-34-6 ATS on the year.
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
541 Miami Heat (+6) at 542 Milwaukee Bucks (-6); O/U 219
9:00 PM ET, Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Heat vs. Bucks Public Betting Information
Our NBA Public Betting Information page indicates that 65% of public bettors are currently backing the Bucks -6 in this contest. Note that these numbers are subject to change, so be sure to check the link to receive the most up-to-date public betting data.
Miami Heat DFS Spin
Miami Heat point guard Tyler Herro broke his hand in Game 1 of this series, so he’ll miss Wednesday’s game and likely another month on top of that. Miami point guard Kyle Lowry is questionable for Wednesday’s game with left knee soreness. Lowry was able to play 19 minutes off the bench for the Heat in Game 1 but only managed to score 2 points.
Miami point guard Gabe Vincent could see an expanded offensive role due to the absence of Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry’s uncertain status. Vincent started, played 33 minutes, and scored 15 points in Game 1, and he could help your DFS squad if you’re looking for a cheaper option at point guard.
Milwaukee Bucks DFS Spin
Milwaukee superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is doubtful for Wednesday’s game with a back injury he suffered in Game 1 of this series. Antetokounmpo was an MVP candidate this season and averaged 31.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game for the Bucks in the regular season. Bucks shooting guard Wesley Matthews has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game with a right calf strain.
Bucks center Brook Lopez could be primed for a big game on Wednesday. Lopez will likely be called upon to take more shots due to Antetokounmpo being out for this game. Brook Lopez has legitimate DFS value due to his unique combination of scoring (15.9 points per game), shooting (1.7 made three-pointers per game), and shot-blocking (2.5 blocks per game).
Heat vs. Bucks NBA Betting Trends
Miami is 16-33-2 ATS in their last 51 games following an outright win.
Miami is 7-27-1 ATS in their last 35 games following an ATS win.
Milwaukee is 15-7 ATS in their last 22 games following an ATS loss.
Milwaukee is 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 Wednesday games.
Heat vs. Bucks NBA Prediction
Milwaukee is 11-8 straight up without Giannis Antetokounmpo this season with wins over Oklahoma City (twice), Toronto, Orlando, and Phoenix. In their 2021 championship run, the Bucks won Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals without Giannis Antetokounmpo before he was able to return for the NBA Finals. It’s one thing to lose a player like Antetokounmpo in the middle of a game, it’s different if the Bucks know ahead of time that he’s probably not going to be able to play. Milwaukee absolutely needs this game, as they cannot afford to go back to Miami down 0-2 in this best-of-seven series. I see the Bucks shooting better from three-point range than they did on Sunday (24.4%) and the Heat shooting significantly worse than the 60% they shot from deep in that same game. I think the Bucks win by multiple possessions at home on Wednesday.
NBA BETTING PREDICTION: MILWAUKEE BUCKS -6
