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It's Giannis Antetokounmpo vs Jimmy Butler as the Milwaukee Bucks look to extend their winning streak against an equally impressive-looking Miami Heat. Both teams meet for the first time this season as part of the Emirates NBA Cup at Kaseya Center on Tuesday (Nov. 26).
What's common between the two teams is the trade spotlight on their superstars Antetokounmpo and Butler. A torrid start to the season saw the rumors mils link 'The Greek Freak' to the Houston Rockets — a team that was reportedly interested in Butler as well. The buzz appears to have died down after both teams seemed to have parity restored after a tough stretch of games.
At the start of the season, Antetokounmpo made headlines for his take on the Bucks trading him if the wins weren't stacking up. There were no Jimmy Butler- Media Day shenanigans this time around as the forward looked all business. The stars were on a mission, only to have their ships rocked early on in the edition.
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Course corrections were made after Milwaukee lost eight of its first 10 games and managed to claw their back to the top 10 since. Miami is yet to be more than one game above the .500 mark this edition. Both teams have relied on their forwards heavily to bail them out of dire straits this season, and so far the duo have delivered.
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Antetokonmpo vaulted back to MVP contention after a strong showing in his last few games, while the Heat's faith in their marquee forward paid off as Butler has been performing at an All-Star level.
The Bucks are on a four-game winning streak and are 2-0 in the NBA Cup standings. The Heat have won two games on the bounce, and are 1-1 in the in-season tournament. They will be brimming with confidence winning against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks at home.
Both teams met thrice last season with Milwaukee taking the series 2-1. The Heat lead the Bucks 76-53 in their 129 regular season meetings.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat preview, predicted starting lineups, betting tips, odds, and prediction
The Bucks vs Heat skirmish tips off at 7:30 pm ET. The game will be televised on TNT. The matchup can be streamed live on Fubo TV (regional restrictions may apply) and on the NBA app with a subscription to the NBA League Pass.
Here's a look at the odds as listed at the time of writing:
Note: Odds are subject to change close to tip-off.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat Preview
The Giannis Antetokounmpo-Dame Lillard combo has ensured that the Milwaukee Bucks are back to winning ways. A sluggish start had questions about the roster construction and Doc Rivers' questionable rotations and tactics, but the Bucks are 6-1 in their last seven games.
Antetokounmpo has been their bonafide leader as he leads the league in scoring (32.4) and is second on the team in assists (6.4). Lillard's playmaking with 7.4 assists per game and healthy 25.2 points per contest now has them on the winning run.
The Bucks have been solid on the defensive front, but have struggled to contain their opponents from the perimeter. They are 14th in offensive rating and just a couple of rungs higher with a 12th-placed defensive rating.
The Heat have been good defensively as well, but have been poor in defending the rim. They are 11th with a 111.9 defensive rating but are 19th on offense.
They are 3rd in the league in steals per contest and are shooting the trey ball well (37.9% from the three-point line) to rank sixth from beyond the arc. Throw in red-haired Jimmy Butler in red-hot form with two 30+ points games in a row, and Miami will fancy their chances.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat Predicted Starting Lineups
The Miami Heat have listed Terry Rozier (foot) as probable ahead of their Bucks clash. Dru Smith (knee) is questionable. They are likely to stick with the same starters from their last game against the Mavericks.
The Milwaukee Bucks have Taurean Prince (non-COVID illness) as questionable. Antetokounmpo (calf), MarJon Beauchamp (hamstring), and AJ Johnson (Achilles) are all listed as probable. Khris Middleton (ankle) is questionable. Doc Rivers is unlikely to tinker with his starters, fielding his usual lineup.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat Predicted Betting Tips
Damian Lillard comes in with an o/u of -106/-110 on points. Giannis Antetokounmpo is -105/-120 on points. Jimmy Butler is one to keep an eye out for with -118/-110 on points. Bam Adebayo is -118/-104 on points and rebounds.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat Prediction
With both teams trending in the right direction, it's about momentum and which of the two sides plays better defense. The Heat will have Butler and Adebayo to contain Antetokounmpo, but will also look to Tyler Herro to continue his stellar run this season. Can the former sixth man get the Heat across? Chalk up a gritty Miami win on Tuesday with their 'Big 3' putting in an all-round effort.
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