The Miami Heat can put the Eastern Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks against the ropes with a Game 2 victory on Wednesday, which would give Miami a commanding 2-0 edge in their best-of-seven series. The Heat (44-38), which finished as the eighth seed in the 2023 NBA playoff following last week's play-in tournament, stunned Milwaukee 130-117 on Sunday in Game 1 at Fiserv Forum. The Bucks (58-24) will without star power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (back), while Miami will be down shooting guard Tyler Herro, who has a broken hand.
The game from Milwaukee will begin at 9 p.m. ET. The Heat have the second-best defense entering the playoffs, allowing 109.8 points per game, while the Bucks are 14th, allowing 113.3. Milwaukee is a 6-point favorite in the latest Heat vs. Bucks odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 218.5. Before making any Bucks vs. Heat picks, you need to see the NBA playoff predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model enters the second week of the 2023 NBA playoffs a stunning 71-37 on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $3,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Heat vs. Bucks and just locked in its picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Bucks vs. Heat:
- Heat vs. Bucks spread: Bucks -6
- Heat vs. Bucks over/under: 218.5 points
- Heat vs. Bucks money line: Heat +210, Bucks -260
- MIA: The Heat are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games against a team with a winning % above .600
- MIL: The Bucks are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 Wednesday games
- Heat vs. Bucks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Bucks can cover
Milwaukee has a number of scoring options, including center Brook Lopez. In 78 games, all starts, Lopez averaged 15.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.3 assists in 30.4 minutes of action. In the opener, he was relatively quiet, scoring 10 points, grabbing four boards and making three blocks. In four regular-season games against the Heat, Lopez averaged 11.3 points, five rebounds, 1.3 blocks and one assist in 31.3 minutes.
Forward Bobby Portis is another solid option, and in the series opener, Portis poured in 21 points, while grabbing eight rebounds. He fared well against Miami in three regular-season meetings as well, scoring 15 points and grabbing 8.3 rebounds per game. In Milwaukee's last two regular-season wins, he posted back-to-back double-doubles. In a 140-128 win at Washington on April 4, he scored 19 points, while grabbing 20 rebounds, and then in the 105-92 win over Chicago on April 5, poured in 27 points while grabbing 13 boards. See which side to back at SportsLine.
Why the Heat can cover
Power forward Kevin Love, who came off the bench in Game 1, proved to be a difference-maker. He finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and also connected on 57.1% of his 3-pointers. Love made 17 starts in 21 games for the Heat this season, and in 62 total games, averaged 8.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists. In a 129-122 win over Dallas on April 1, Love scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds in 19 minutes of action.
Also helping lead Miami is point guard Gabe Vincent. In 33 minutes on Sunday, he scored 15 points, dished out six assists and grabbed two rebounds. He also hit four of his five 3-point attempts, as the Heat connected on a blistering 60% of their 3-pointers. In 68 regular-season games, Vincent averaged 9.4 points, 2.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds, and he lit up the Bucks in four games, averaging 16 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals. See which side to back at SportsLine.
How to make Bucks vs. Heat picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 220 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations. You can see the model's NBA picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Heat vs. Bucks? And which side of the spread hits over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is 71-37 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
