Bucks vs Heat Game 2 Picks and Odds

• Miami beat the Bucks 115-104 in Game 1 thanks to the brilliance of Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic
• Giannis Antetokounmpo was limited to just 18 points
• Can Milwaukee bounce back with a win? Get the odds, preview, and best bet for Game 2 below

After losing the first game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to Miami, the Milwaukee Bucks will look to even the series in Game 2 on Wednesday, September 2nd, with tip-off at 6:30 PM EST.

It was a disappointing performance for the #1 seed in the East, who were completely shut down by a potent Miami Heat defense for all four quarters.

For the Heat, Jimmy Butler showed out in Game 1, dropping 40 points while hitting numerous huge shots down the stretch. Goran Dragic got things going on the right foot for Miami in the first quarter, ending with 27 points and five assists.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat Game 2 Odds

Odds taken August 31st

Antetokounmpo’s Struggles Hurt the Bucks

For any team facing the Milwaukee Bucks, the first obvious goal is to shut down the offensive production of the Greek Freak. In Game 1, the Heat did a tremendous job of doing so.

Every time Antetokounmpo had the ball, there were two or even three black jerseys swarming him. The reigning MVP committed six turnovers because of the tight defense that Miami played on him.

Antetokounmpo dropped 18 points and grabbed ten boards in the loss, and went just 4 for 12 from the charity stripe. His struggles from the line ultimately hurt Milwaukee in the end.

Offensively, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez carried Mike Budenholzer’s team, posting 28 and 24 points, respectively. Middleton was hot from downtown as well, shooting 50%.

As a team, the Bucks shot just 53.8% from the free-throw line. They also committed 19 turnovers in this contest. For a team with the best offensive rating in the association, it was a night to forget for Milwaukee. It’s the second series in a row where they’ve dropped the opener, having lost to Orlando in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round as well.

Khris put up a team-high 28 points.

28PTS | 6 REB | 5 AST | 2 STL pic.twitter.com/njfjDEDnj1

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) September 1, 2020

Although they took the loss, it was promising to see the offense run through more than just Antetokounmpo. Even though the Bucks star went cold, he still dished out nine assists and did a good job of finding teammates cutting to the hoop or posting up at the perimeter for an open three.

The Bucks had the lead for most of the game but ended the third quarter down 92-86 and weren’t able to cut the deficit to more than two points, ultimately losing by 11.

Miami Put on Defensive Display

Containing the league’s best offensive team is no easy task. But after sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the first round, the Heat took that momentum right into Game 1 of this series and shut down Giannis and the Bucks. The story of this game for Miami was the outstanding defense they played and the offensive production from Butler and Dragic. Every single player on the court for the Heat poured their hearts out defensively, resulting in a lot of turnovers for Milwaukee. Bam Adebayo was a game-changer in the paint, collecting 17 rebounds in the win.

Butler was outstanding, to say the least. Of his 40 points, 36 came from inside the perimeter as he shot 65 percent from the field. He took just two attempts from long range, draining both.

Dragic was brilliant from the tip-off, hitting numerous floaters off the glass within the first quarter and setting the tone for Miami’s offense. The veteran presence of these two was huge in the victory.

The Heat took full advantage of Milwaukee’s offensive mistakes, collecting 28 points off turnovers. Their pace was brilliant throughout this contest, playing high-tempo basketball for 48 minutes.

Who Will Win Game 2?

It’s seldom that Milwaukee loses back to back contests, however, it did happen in the seeding games in Orlando. On the other hand, you never see Antetokounmpo struggle like this offensively.

There is no way he will repeat this type of performance. I believe the Greek Freak will return on Wednesday with a huge game, leading the Bucks to a victory. These two teams are quite even in several categories and I do see this series going the distance. But, Game 2 will see Milwaukee tie this Eastern Conference Semifinal at one.

Pick: Milwaukee -5 (-110)