Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks Free NBA Playoff Pick, 8–31–2020
Free NBA Pick by Ray Franklin of PrecisionPicks.com
Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Odds: Bucks -5.5
Total Odds: 223.5
Game Time: Monday, August 31, 2020, 6:30 PM EST
Jimmy Butler and Giannis Antetokounmpo go head-to-head when the fifth-seeded Miami Heat and top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks open a best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series Monday night from the bubble in Orlando. The Heat cruised through their first-round matchup as they swept the Indiana Pacers and now they turn their attention to the team that finished with the best record in the league. The Bucks lost the first game of their series against the Orlando Magic, but they were able to bounce back and win the next four games and advance with little resistance.
Goran Dragic (22.8 PPG), Jimmy Butler (19.8 PPG), and Tyler Herro (16.5 PPG) pace the Heat offense that scores 111.3 points per game this season. Miami’s defense ranks 2nd allowing 100.8 points per game and will need to really put the pressure on a Bucks offense that averages 118 PPG which ranks 1st in the NBA.
Milwaukee bounced back after going 3–5 in the bubble for seeding games and then dropping the opener of their series with the Magic by winning four straight games. The Bucks won each of those games by double-digits, winning the four contests by a combined 58 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the way for the Bucks with 31.3 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. Khris Middleton is averaging 13.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while Brook Lopez is averaging 12.8 points and 3.8 RPG.
Heat are 2–8 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog
Heat are 1–6 ATS in their last 7 playoff games as an underdog
Bucks are 3–0–1 ATS in their last 4 games overall
Bucks are 4–0 ATS in their last 4 Conference Semifinals games
This matchup features one of the best defensive teams in the league vs. the best offensive team in the league. Miami had it relatively easy facing the Pacers in round 1 but the Bucks are a different team. Milwaukee’s bench is much deeper and Antetokoumpo averaged 25.0 points in three games against the Heat in the regular season, while Middleton produced 23.3 in those contests. The duo combined for 66 points when the Bucks defeated the Heat in the bubble earlier this month, 130–116. I see much the same as the Heat will have to figure out how to stop Antetokoumpo, which no team has been successful in doing so. Take the Bucks -5.5 in Game 1 of this matchup.
Heat vs. Bucks Free NBA Pick — Milwaukee Bucks -5.5
