Bucks Try To Rebound vs Heat After Historic Loss

After posting 52 wins in their first 60 games, the Bucks have now lost six of their last eight — including a shocking defeat to Brooklyn on Tuesday as 19-point favorites. Milwaukee looks to get back on track against a Heat squad that has won eight of the last 11 meetings but could be without Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The point spread has not come into play in recent meetings between these squads, with each of the last six seeing the Sportsbook cover the spread by at least nine points. Miami has won both games this season by a combined margin of 21 points, including a 131-126 victory as 11-point underdogs on October 26 in Milwaukee.

Miami News & Notes

The Heat relied on a balanced scoring effort to overcome the absence of star shooting guard Jimmy Butler in Tuesday’s 112-106 upset of the Celtics. Five different players scored at least 10 points, including 21-point outings by Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson. Backup point guard Goran Dragic added 20 as Miami improved to 11-3 SU this season in games in which the veteran cracks the 20-point plateau.

Miami will need a similar team effort against Milwaukee as Butler has already been ruled out again to continue nursing a sore foot. Unfortunately for the Heat, they could also be without Dragic, who rolled his right ankle in the dying seconds Tuesday and is listed as questionable for Thursday. A short bench could spell trouble for a Miami squad playing its third game in four days and fourth in six.

Milwaukee News & Notes

The Bucks have essentially locked up top spot in the East already, but we may see an extremely motivated Milwaukee squad in this one. The Bucks are coming off the NBA’s biggest upset loss in nearly 30 years, falling 119-116 as 19-point favorites to the short-handed Brooklyn Nets, and have now lost six of their last eight games dating back to before the shutdown.

Even though Milwaukee sat Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton for the entire second half on Tuesday, coach Mike Budenholzer didn’t hide his disappointment about his team’s performance, particularly on the defensive end.

“We (allowed) a 40-point first quarter, which is very poor, and 33 in the second, so 73 at halftime was pretty disturbing,” Budenholzer told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Bucks coach hinted that he’ll likely return to a normal minutes distribution against Miami as Milwaukee looks to get back on track going into the playoffs.

Betting Pick: Bucks -8.5

I’m anticipating complete focus from the Bucks, who need a dominant performance to get their mojo back before the playoffs arrive. If they open a big lead, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra might wave the white flag and rest his starters with the Heat playing for the fourth time in six days.