It’s a potential first-round playoff preview on Tuesday night as the Miami Heat visit the Milwaukee Bucks. Also a homecoming of sorts for Miami star Dwyane Wade, who starred collegiately in Milwaukee at Marquette. Let’s take a look at the latest NBA Odds and which team is offering the best betting value!
Heat vs Bucks NBA Spread, Game Info & Expert Pick
The squad finished the homestand strong and is now headed out on the road!
After last night’s win watch the guys discuss what it will take to keep the momentum going into 4 straight hostile Eastern Conference enviroments in ‘Sound On’ presented by @JBLAudio. #JBLxHEAT pic.twitter.com/6J0laprTtH — Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) 13 de enero de 2019
- When: Tuesday, 8 PM ET
- Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee
- TV: NBA TV
- Live Stream: NBA League Pass
- Radio: TuneIn
- NBA Spread: Milwaukee Bucks -8.5 (Total 219.5)
Season Series
Second of four matchups. Miami recorded a 94-87 win on Dec. 22. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to nine points on 3-for-12 shooting, the Bucks shot 37 percent and scored the 87 points — all season-lows. Still, the Bucks clawed from 17 down to within one in the final minutes before Miami closed on a 12-6 run — fueled in part by a couple of big mid-range jumpers from Dwyane Wade.
Last season, the Heat swept the season series, 3-0, and has now won six straight against Milwaukee. The Heat are 68-41 all-time versus the Bucks during the regular season and is 35-19 in games played in Miami. The Heat is 33-22 in games played on the road.
Why Bet on Miami?
The Heat won a second straight game on Saturday, 112-108 over Memphis. Justise Winslow made 10-of-16 from the field for 26 points with seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, two turnovers and four 3-pointers in 34 minutes. He’s shot the ball much better lately at 50.8 FG% over his last five outings, averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 boards, 6.4 dimes, 0.8 steals, and 1.6 treys.
Josh Richardson handed out a career-high nine assists against the Grizzlies, adding 14 points, six rebounds, two steals, and one 3-pointer. His assists per game have increased each month this season to 5.2 per game in his six January games, averaging 16.2 points, 3.8 boards, 0.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 2.0 treys on a 43/34/90 shooting line to go with it.
Bam Adebayo made a spot start for Hassan Whiteside (illness) against the Grizzlies, scoring 11 points with 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 38 minutes. Whiteside returned to full practice on Monday. “I just wasn’t feeling good. My stomach’s bothering me. I just haven’t felt like I had the energy,” he said. He should play Tuesday. Richardson (knee tendinitis) did not practice on Monday.
The Heat have held opponents to under their scoring average in 12 of their last 14 games, going 10-4 (.714) over that span. The Miami bench is averaging 48.7 points (1,119 total) over their last 23 games, outscoring their opponents’ reserves by +17.1 (31.6; 727) over that span. In those 22 contests, Miami’s bench has outscored their opponents’ bench 21 times and scored at least 50 points in 10 of those games. Additionally, among NBA leaders this season, Miami’s bench ranks second in rebounds (19.6), third in steals (3.51), fourth in points (43.7), fourth in assists (9.7) and fifth in blocks (2.39).
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 106.66
- Field Goal Percentage: 44.02
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.82
- Free Throw Percentage: 69.34
- Total Rebounds: 47.10
Defense
- Total Score: 105.63
- Field Goal Percentage: 43.90
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.61
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.42
- Total Rebounds: 44.61
Why Bet on Milwaukee?
The Bucks won 133-114 in Atlanta on Sunday. Milwaukee improved to 30-12, second-best in the NBA. Coming off a loss at Washington that Giannis Antetokounmpo missed with injuries, Milwaukee is 12-0 following a defeat and remained the league’s only team not to drop consecutive games.
Milwaukee has won 12 of 15 dating to Dec. 14. The Bucks began the day outscoring opponents by an NBA-leading 9.1 points per game. Antetokounmpo showed no ill effects after sitting out Friday with right quadriceps soreness and a left hip contusion. Antetokounmpo had a game-high 33 points, six boards, four assists, three steals and one block in a road win vs. Atlanta. The Freak’s 19 free-throw attempts fell two shy of his season high — he went 14-of-19 at the line and 9-of-17 from the field, with one 3-pointer.
Eric Bledsoe played through left hamstring soreness on Sunday, posting 24 points, 10 assists, two rebounds, two steals, two 3-pointers and one block in 26 minutes. Bledsoe has been on the injury report for the Bucks’ past two games, but this hamstring issue hasn’t cost him any time. He’s yet to miss a game this season.
Sunday’s 19-point victory was Milwaukee’s NBA-high 21st win of the season by double digits. Sunday’s game also marked the seventh time the Bucks have eclipsed the 130-point mark this season, which is tied with Golden State for the most such games in the NBA. The last time Milwaukee tallied seven or more 130-point games in a season was in 1985-68 (8). The Bucks are the highest scoring team in the NBA this season, averaging 117.6 points per game.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 117.62
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.90
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.70
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.35
- Total Rebounds: 48.98
Defense
- Total Score: 108.29
- Field Goal Percentage: 43.17
- Three-Point Percentage: 36.50
- Free Throw Percentage: 74.43
- Total Rebounds: 44.21
Heat vs Bucks NBA Betting Trends
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Milwaukee
- Home team is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings
- Miami is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 games
- Miami is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Miami’s last 10 games
- Milwaukee is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games
- Milwaukee is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Milwaukee’s last 20 games
Expert NBA Betting Prediction for Heat vs Bucks
Bucks end losing streak in series.
