Heat vs. Bucks Expert Pick and Prediction - February 4, 2023.
Heat vs. Bucks Expert Pick and Prediction - February 4, 2023
HEAT VS. BUCKS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTION - FEBRUARY 4, 2023  - Welcome back NBA fans to our weekly column as we preview one of the marquee games from Saturday night’s slate.
Our matchup this week is the Milwaukee Bucks (35-17) taking on the Miami Heat (29-24) in a battle of two of the league’s top defensive teams. Without further delay let us dive right into this eastern conference showdown.Â
The Odds
Matchup
Open
Spread
Points
Moneyline
Heat
(29-24)
+5.5
+5.5
o221.5
+184
Bucks
(35-17)
u220.5
-5.5
u221.5
-225
Tipoff
When: Saturday, February 4th at 8:00 pm EST
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
TV:BSSUN
Public Bets:Â Bucks, 66%
Public Money: Heat, 57%
Odds courtesy of DraftKings, as of February 4th, 2023
Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks Season Trends
Defense in South Beach
Miami is not an offensive juggernaut by any means. For instance, they are ranked dead last in scoring, averaging 108.4 points per game. And the Heat have the fourth-worst offensive rating in the league.
On the flip side, Miami has the second-best scoring defense, allowing 108.1 points per game, and this squad has the fourth-best defense in the NBA.
In their most recent outing, Miami recorded its second loss on a four-game road trip, falling 106-104 to the New York Knicks on Thursday night. Bam Adebayo led the way with 32 points to go along with nine boards. That said, Miami is hoping to conclude its road trip on a positive note.Â
Fear the Deer's Defense
Like the Heat, Milwaukee is not overly impressive from an offensive standpoint. The team is ranked 18th in scoring and 23rd in efficiency. But it is a much different narrative at the defensive end of the court.
The Bucks are ranked fifth in scoring defense, allowing 111.8 points per contest. And they have the third-best defensive rating in the league, yielding 110.8 points per 100 possessions.Â
Hot Streak
While the Heat have been struggling, the Bucks are hot.
In fact, the Bucks have won six straight and have posted wins in eight of their last 10 contests. This includes a 106-105 win over the L.A. Clippers on Thursday night, a game in which they trailed by 21 points in the third quarter.
MVP candidate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, scored 54 points and pulled down 19 rebounds. It was his third 50-point performance of the season and his second 50-point outing in five days.
Simply put, Miami will need to limit Giannis’ production if it hopes to come away with a win in this one.Â
Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks Head-To-Head & Betting Trends
These two teams split the four-game season series last year. And Miami emerged victorious in both meetings this season on Jan. 12 and 14, holding Milwaukee to two of its 10 lowest-scoring outings of the season.
The caveat here is that neither Khris Middleton nor Antetokounmpo played in either of the games. With their top two players in the lineup, the outcome will be different this time around.Â
The Picks
Over/UnderÂ
The current O/U point total is 221.5, and the two teams are averaging a combined 222.5 points per contest.
The total has gone under in six of Miami’s last seven games. Additionally, the total for the Bucks has gone under in four of their last five games against teams in the Southeast division.
Considering this matchup includes a pair of top-five defensive teams, go with the UNDER in this one.
Player Prop Bet
Giannis Antetokounmpo currently has -125 odds for scoring under 33.5 points and -106 odds for going over that threshold.
It cannot be overstated how well he has been playing since he returned to the team’s rotation. Along with notching his third 50-point outing of the season against the Clippers, Antetokounmpo has scored at least 33 points in each of his last five outings.
Barring any health issues with the knee, look for Giannis to continue his solid play against Miami and exceed the predicted 33.5 points.Â
Spread
Miami is 2-5 against the spread in its last seven games and 2-4 ATS in its last six games on the road. Conversely, this squad holds an impressive 4-1-1 record ATS in its last six games against Milwaukee.
Meanwhile, the Bucks are 1–6 ATS in their last seven games that were played in February. But Milwaukee holds a 5-2 record ATS in its last seven games that took place on a Saturday.
In a game in which points will come at a premium, the Bucks will win outright, but I expect the to cover at +5.5.  Â
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James is an accounting professional by day and a freelance writer at night. James has been publishing sports content for over 13 years for various outlets. The list includes FanSided, Latest Basketball News, Odds USA, Last Word on Sports, Onlinebetting.com (OBCOM), and Sportsbook Review
James always researches team/player trends to ensure he is offering his betting audience the best advice possible. Simply put, he takes his writing very seriously. He is an NBA handicapper who keeps a watchful eye on most of the sports leagues. His preferences, when it comes to betting content, pertain to the NBA and the NFL.
Alongside his work for Godzilla Wins and OnlineBetting.com, James has also published sports betting content with other betting sites such as ODDS USA and Eat Watch Bet. Although betting on sports is never an exact science, James always does his best to keep it simple when it comes to offering predictions on games, which in turn, inspires confidence in novice bettors.
