Two Eastern Conference rivals, both looking to strengthen their playoff positions in the NBAface off in the Cream City when the Miami Heat go on the road to take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.
In its previous outing on Sunday afternoon, Miami showed a resilient effort but ultimately fell 110-106 at home to the Boston Celtics.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee was in action against the Denver Nuggets at home Monday night in the first half of a back-to-back series. They also destroyed the Charlotte Hornets 120-84 at home on Friday night.
Heat Continues to Heat Up Expectations
Miami, currently with a 28-25 record for the season, is in second place in the Southeast Division, trailing the Magic by one game for first place. In the Eastern Conference playoff standings, they are in eighth place, 12 games behind the Celtics, who lead the table.
Despite being 1.5 games behind the Indiana Pacers, who hold the last guaranteed playoff spot, and holding a 5.5-game lead over the Brooklyn Nets, the Heat remain in the field in the play-in tournament.
Against Boston, Miami faced a crucial 7-0 run that spanned the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second, breaking a 22-22 tie and proving insurmountable.
Despite cutting the deficit to two points with 1:49 remaining, the Heat failed to make the comeback and lost the game. The team shot 41.2% from the field, including 12-of-40 on three-point shots, while allowing the Celtics to shoot 50.6%.
Statistically, the Heat rank 27th in the league in offense, averaging 110.4 points per game this season.
Their rebounding average ranks 23rd with 42.1 boards per game, and they are 21st in assists, dishing out 25.8 assists per night.
However, Miami boasts a solid defense, ranking fourth in the league by limiting opponents to 110.8 points per game.
Jimmy Butler leads the team with 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. Tyler Herro contributes 21 points and 5.3 rebounds, while Bam Adebayo contributes 20.3 points and 10.6 rebounds.
Miami ranks 25th in field goal percentage, shooting 46.1% from the field this season.
They rank 17th in three-pointers made per game at 12.3 three-pointers per game, and the team is 13th in three-point shooting percentage at 37% from beyond the arc.
The best basketball in the world IS HERE ⭐.
The #NBATuesdays were made to enjoy these giants of the court: Heat vs Bucks 🏀.
TOMORROW at ⏰ 7 pm on @Zona_TUDN and @VIX 📲🇲🇽 https://t.co/h7FgzHgQgB pic.twitter.com/FFRlgvaHaC
- TUDN MEX (@TUDNMEX) February 12, 2024
The Bucks Want to Stay on Top
Milwaukee found itself at Fiserv Forum on Monday night, locked in the second game of a demanding back-to-back situation.
As of Monday, the Bucks had a 34-19 record for the season, securing second place in the competitive Central Division, just two games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers at the divisional summit.
In the broader Eastern Conference standings, they were in third place, trailing by seven games behind the first-place Celtics and holding a five-game lead over the Magic to secure a guaranteed playoff spot.
In the second set of back-to-back games this season, Milwaukee proved its resiliency with a 7-2 record, enjoying an outstanding scoring margin of +8 points per game (127 points for, 119 points against) in such matchups.
Their performance at Fiserv Forum was particularly outstanding, with a 22-6 record at home and a +6.4 points per game scoring differential (124.7 points for, 118.3 points against) through Monday's game.
Against Eastern Conference opponents, the Bucks posted a 25-12 record with a scoring differential of +4.8 points per game (123.8 points for, 119 points against).
Offensively, Milwaukee showcased their prowess, ranking second in the league in offense with an impressive average of 122.9 points per game this season. Their rebounding prowess earned them 11th place, securing an average of 44 rebounds per game.
In addition, the team showed playmaking skills, ranking 14th by dishing out 26.8 assists per game. Defensively, however, the Bucks faced challenges, ranking 23rd in the league, allowing 119.3 points per game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo emerged as a dominant force for Milwaukee, leading in multiple categories with averages of 30.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game this season.
Milwaukee also showed efficiency in shooting, ranking fifth in the league with a 49.5% field goal shooting percentage as a team.
His prowess beyond the arc was evident, ranking fifth in three-pointers per game with an average of 14.2 three-pointers and ranking ninth in three-point shooting, hitting 37.7% of attempts from beyond the arc.
