Update: Butler has been ruled out for the Heat with his ankle injury. The line is now Bucks -4 and the total comes in at 228. I’ll stick with Milwaukee as the ATS pick and the under on the total.
The Milwaukee Bucks (12-5) will pay a visit to the Miami Heat (10-7) in the final game of the NBA In-Season Tournament’s group stage. The Bucks, sitting on top of East Group B with a 3-0 record, are looking to officially clinch their spot in the knockouts with a win tonight. The Heat, in third place with 2-1, will need a win and a little help in the form of a Hornets win over the Knicks. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Kaseya Center.
Jimmy Butler is listed as questionable with an ankle sprain ahead of tonight’s game, while Tyler Herro (ankle) will still be sidelined as well. Bam Adebayo is probable. The Bucks have Khris Middleton listed as questionable with an Achilles issue, but will otherwise put a healthy lineup on the floor.
The Bucks are 3-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, priced at -148 on the moneyline. The Heat come in at +124 while the point total is set at 227.
Bucks vs. Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Bucks -3
The Heat have had the Bucks’ number on their home court recently, eliminating Milwaukee in the first round of last year’s playoffs while winning the last five regular season contests at Kaseya Center. However, Milwaukee logged a 122-114 win just a month ago when the Bucks hosted the Heat on October 30. The addition of Damian Lillard certainly provides a lot of offensive power as he’s been instrumental in the Bucks’ hot start to the season.
While Miami will be looking to pull off a narrow upset over its counterparts, take the Bucks to get the win on the road and finish the group stage with a perfect 4-0 record.
Over/Under: Under 227
With plenty on the line for both teams as they look to clinch a spot in the knockout rounds, expect the highest level of defense each side can muster throughout the game. The Heat haven’t gone over the total in their last two games, both of which were set at lower totals than tonight’s matchup. Take the under as the safe bet tonight.