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Andrew Rogers
Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks Game 2 Prediction, Playoff Odds
The Heat forced overtime in the series opener but ultimately fell short 109-107 on Khris Middleton’s game-winning shot. The Bucks failed to cover but did protect their home-court advantage as they look to go up 2-0 at Fiserv Forum on Tuesday.
Heat vs. Bucks NBA Playoff Odds
The oddsmakers are giving the Bucks a similar spread to the one they had in Game 1, when they cut things a little too close to fall to a dismal 1-7 ATS in their previous eight games. The Bucks came into the postseason as one of the worst cover options of any contending team at 32-40, and have the support of just 41 percent of Sports Interaction customers in this one. Miami is a sizzling 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
The O/U slant is almost identical, with 60 percent of Sports Interaction participants siding with the Over on a total of 222.5 (both sides are at -110). The Heat have converted the Over in 11 of their previous 14 games, but Saturday’s Under result moved the teams to 1-4 O/U in their last five encounters at Fiserv Forum. The Bucks had one of the most Over-friendly records in the NBA during the regular season at 41-31 O/U.
Miami Heat
The Heat did plenty of things right in their Game 1 near-miss – but as you might expect, there’s also room for improvement. Miami surrendered 15 offensive rebounds in defeat, while also committing 17 turnovers and getting outscored on the fast-break by a 12-2 margin. The Heat were also bullied in the paint, getting trounced by a 56-24 differential in a one-sided edge that ultimately helped the Bucks pull out the victory.
Milwaukee Bucks
For the Bucks to have prevailed in the series opener despite putting together an abominable showing from beyond the arc is as heartening as it gets for the East’s No. 3 seed. Milwaukee shot just 5-of-31 from 3-point territory, with Middleton (3-for-9) the only player to make more than one of his 3-point attempts. The Bucks would also like to get more output from their bench, as four reserves combined to score just 15 points in the overtime win.
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