After winning both of their respective matchups, the Heat and Bucks meet in the second round of the playoffs. The well-rested Heat come in as underdogs in the NBA odds, while the top-seeded Bucks continue to be one of the most popular NBA picks in the Eastern Conference.
The following will find the best NBA odds for Game 1 of the Heat – Bucks series, break down the game itself and give you some bets to place. Let’s get into some NBA picks and predictions based off NBA Odds from our new OddsShopper tool.
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NBA Picks and Predictions based on NBA Odds Shopping | Heat vs. Bucks | Aug 31
Miami Heat (44-29) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (56-17)
Date: Monday, Aug. 31, 2020
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Venue: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex – Kissimmee, FL
Coverage: TNT
Due to sweeping the Pacers, and because of the boycotts the Bucks helped spark, the Heat have had a full week of rest. This time off could go either way. Yes, their bodies should be ready to go. However, too much time between games can sometimes lead to a bit of rust, so it will be interesting to see how sharp Miami looks, especially after being dialed in from deep at the end of their last series.
The Heat have been one of the few teams to have success against Milwaukee this season, winning two of their three matchups. Also, Jimmy Butler played in just one of the games for Miami. His defense will be important on Khris Middleton today, as the rest of the Heat will do whatever they can to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee initially decided to boycott Game 5 of their last series, causing it to be pushed to Saturday. They have a much faster turnaround than Miami, though they could be set up to ride their momentum better than the Heat can. The key for the Bucks today will be disrupting the 3-point shot of Miami, which was red hot in the last series. In both of their losses against Miami this season, the Bucks gave up and average of 17 made 3’s.
NBA Picks and Predictions: Heat vs Bucks NBA Odds Shopping
Using Awesemo’s OddsShopper tool, we can easily compare the NBA odds for Heat vs Bucks across the major sports books. The odds expressed are from 10:45 a.m. ET on Aug. 31, so make sure to check out the OddsShopper tool yourself to get the most up to date NBA odds.
Spread
Heat +5.5 (-105) — FanDuel
Bucks -5.5 (-110) — SugarHouse, BetRivers, BetMGM, PointsBet, DraftKings
Point Total
Over: 223 (-112) — SugarHouse, BetRivers, DraftKings
Under: 224.5 (-110) — BetMGM
Heat vs Bucks NBA Betting Trends
- Miami leads the season series with Milwaukee 2-1.
- The total has hit the under in four of Miami’s last five games.
- Miami is 4-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last five games.
- Milwaukee is 4-1 ATS in its last five games.
- The total has hit the under in six of Milwaukee’s last eight games against Miami.
Heat vs Bucks NBA Picks + Prop Bets
Khris Middleton – Points: Under 20.5 (-114)
Middleton has faced the Heat with Butler playing just once this season. Miami won the game and Butler won this matchup, giving Middleton fits. He scored just 12 points, shooting 4-of-16 overall and 2-of-10 from deep. Middleton also did not have the sharpest first series offensively. He scored under 20 points in three of the five games, with 21 points being the most he scored.
Tyler Herro – Points: Over 14.5 (-115)
The rookie has played a big role for the Heat in the postseason, averaging 32.5 minutes and 16.5 points. Today, he faces off with his hometown team, which he will be motivated to put up a a big performance against. Herro has not gone under this point total in the postseason, and he scored 20 points against the Bucks earlier in the bubble. He is instant offense off the bench and can pour it on quickly. The Bucks gave up a league-high 14.0 made 3’s per game this season, and this is an area that Herro can take advantage of.
Bam Adebayo – Double-Double: Yes (-125)
Bam Adebayo is coming off three double-doubles in his last four games, including a big 19-rebound performance last time out. He has faced Milwaukee three times this season. In the last game, he played just 22 minutes in the dominating win. The two games before that resulted in double-doubles, with him averaging 16.5 points and 13 rebounds in those two games. Adebayo was also two assists shy of a triple-double in one of the games, though his potential is not as high with Goran Dragic in the starting lineup.
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