Heat vs. Bucks Game 5 Prediction: NBA Playoff Odds, Point Spread
The Heat are 3.5-point favourites on the NBA odds with a total of 216.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
There’s one thing that no handicapper can predict with certainty: Human nature. If you had told this writer that the Bucks would lose superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in the second quarter of Game 4 on Sunday to injury vs. Miami, well, it should have been a lock Heat blowout victory. Clearly, though, Miami took things a bit for granted as it lost 118-115 in overtime. The Heat still lead the series 3-1 and no team has rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win an NBA playoff series. Only a few have even forced a Game 7.
The Heat are +150 favourites to win the Eastern Conference and +500 for the NBA title. The Bucks are +1200 and +2500, respectively.
Miami Heat
Miami had been clearly the superior team overall in the first three games, in part because the Heat are a deeper squad. However, Miami’s bench contributed just 14 points on Sunday compared to Milwaukee’s reserves scoring 32 points. All five Heat starters did score at least 17 points, led by Bam Adebayo’s 26 to go with 12 rebounds and eight assists. Miami had a franchise playoff record 33 assists in the loss. Both Jae Crowder and Duncan Robinson made six three-pointers.
It was only the second time two Heat players hit at least that many in a playoff game. Canadian Kelly Olynyk was questionable with a sore right knee but did play. He had three points, four rebounds and three assists in 10 minutes. Miami is 23-8 ATS in its past 31 after a loss.
Milwaukee Bucks
Obviously the big question is whether Giannis plays Tuesday, but if you saw Sunday’s game and how he reacted after spraining his right ankle, that seems unlikely. As it was, Antetokounmpo was a game-time decision for Game 4 after initially injuring his right ankle during the first half of Game 3 on Friday.
Khris Middleton was terrific stepping up as the alpha dog, scoring a playoff career-high 36 points to go with eight assists and eight rebounds. He became just the second player in franchise history with a line of at least 35/8/8 in a playoff game. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it twice. Needless to say, the Heat will make stopping Middleton their focus Tuesday if the Greek Freak is out. The Bucks are 2-7-1 ATS in their past 10 after a win.
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