Bucks Try To Avenge Two Losses To Heat And Maintain Course

Giannis Antetokounmpo will need more support from his teammates to keep their winning streak going against the Miami Heat.
GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA via AFP / Adam Glanzman

KEY POINTS

The Bucks will try to extend their winning streak to seven games when they host the Miami Heat
The Heat will be out for redemption against the Bucks after dropping a close game to the Knicks
Jimmy Butler needs to have a good game for the Heat to increase their winning chances against the Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks will try to maintain their run and stretch their winning streak to seven games when they host the Miami Heat at the Fiserv Forum Saturday.

The Bucks have added motivation to pull off another win considering that the Heat hold the regular seasons series advantage, 2-0.

Milwaukee is fresh from a 106-105 conquest of the Los Angeles Clippers thanks to the 54-point explosion of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The 2021 NBA Most Valuable Player had a superb outing against the Clips Thursday. Aside from dropping a season-high 54 points, Antetokounmpo also pulled down 19 rebounds.

Antetokounmpo’s feat made him the only other player aside from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to have three or more 50-point games in a season.

“It’s a great compliment to be up there with Kareem,” Antetokounmpo told reporters after the game, according to ESPN. “Man, I never thought I was going to score 50 in the NBA when I got drafted. It’s an insane, crazy journey.”

Backing up Antetokounmpo was Khris Middleton, who had 16 points and seven rebounds.

However, the one-time NBA champion cannot do it alone – especially against a team like the Heat.

Miami is coming off a stinging loss to the New York Knicks, 104-106, a game that slipped away from them in the dying seconds.

The Heat had the chance to tie or win the game outright, but Tyler Herro’s corner shot attempt failed to find the rim.

Bam Adebayo led the way in that loss with 32 points and nine rebounds. He also played a key role in forcing Julius Randle into a turnover in the final seconds of that game.

Herro, for his part, contributed 25 points and eight assists. Jimmy Butler was a noticeable missing link in that matchup, managing only 10 points and five assists in 33 minutes of action.

Against the Bucks, Butler will need to come out with a good game if Miami is to get back on the winning track.

The Bucks are -5 spread favorites to pull off a win against the Heat, which is at +5, according to USA Today’s For The Win. The Moneyline for this game is -207 for Milwaukee and +173 for Miami.

The Bucks prepare for a redemption-seeking Heat five at the Fiserv Forum Saturday, with tip-off set for 8 p.m. EST. The game can be watched via NBA League Pass and FuboTV.