Steve Starr
- Go to BetOnline or Bovada for the latest odds on the Bucks vs Heat matchup
- Tyler Herro will miss the rest of the series with a broken hand while Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected back
- NBATV airs Game 2 from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Wednesday, April 19 at 9:00pm ET
Jimmy Butler registered 35 points, 11 assists and five rebounds in a 130-117 Game 1 victory. And the Heat took advantage of a Giannis Antetokounmpo injury to steal home-court advantage in their best-of-seven series with Milwaukee.
With X-rays on his back coming back clear, the Bucks All-Star should return on Wednesday night. Before we look at the odds for Game 2, check out the latest 2023 NBA Playoff Betting Odds and our guide to betting on NBA basketball.
Bucks vs Heat – Game 2
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Miami Heat | +7.5 (-110) | +250 | Ov 220.5 (-110) |
| Milwaukee Bucks | -7.5 (-110) | -300 | Un 220.5 (-110) |
Giannis leaves Game 1 loss early
Giannis Antetokounmpo left Game 1 with a back injury after suffering a nasty fall on a first-quarter drive to the basket. Given the Bucks were missing the two-time NBA MVP for most of the contest, it’s hard to know how much stock to put in Sunday’s loss. Rust could’ve also played a factor. While the Heat competed in two Play-In games just to make the postseason, Giannis and Khris Middleton hadn’t suited up since April 4th and April 5th, respectively.
Even with the Greek Freek back in the lineup, this might be a longer series than the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed anticipated. Milwaukee swept Miami in 2021, but lost to their rivals 4-1 in the second round back in 2020.
Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (lower back contusion) will not return to Game 1 of Bucks-Heat, per @ShamsCharania.
Giannis sustained the injury on this collision with Kevin Love in the 1st quarter 🤕pic.twitter.com/ep8RFTvVfD
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 16, 2023
Tyler Herro to miss rest of series
Milwaukee wasn’t the only team to suffer a costly injury in Game 1. Tyler Herro was forced out of the contest with a broken hand. With the 2022 NBA Sixth Man of the Year expected to miss four-to-six weeks, there’s now a giant hole in the Heat’s backcourt.
While Jimmy Butler can be counted out for a couple more 30-point performances, Miami doesn’t have the 3-point shooting to take down the Bucks without Herro. Expect Kyle Lowry to take on a bigger role in Game 2 after the veteran guard managed just 2 points and 3 assists in 18 minutes on Sunday.
Milwaukee vs Miami
Milwaukee is a healthy 7.5-point home favorite on Wednesday with Antetokounmpo expected back in the lineup. The Bucks finished 32-10 in Fiserv Forum this season, covering 57.5% (23-17-2) of their home games. Meanwhile, Miami was 17-24 on the road before Sunday’s contest, with a 16-24-1 (40%) record against the spread.
The total for Game 2 is set at 220.5 points. That number was easily exceeded by the two clubs in the series opener (247). But, Giannis is one of the better defenders in the league and Miami scored 130+ points only three times this year. As the NBA’s 25th-most-efficient offense in 2022-23, the Heat are unlikely to continue their hot shooting (59.5% in Game 1) on Wednesday.
Jimmy Butler became only the fourth player in Heat history with over 1,000 playoff points 🔥
The other three are Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. pic.twitter.com/SuISjza3iE
— ESPN (@espn) April 17, 2023
Best Bet
Oddsmakers have made Bucks in 7 (+260) a slight favorites over Bucks in 6 (+275) following their loss on Sunday. However, considering that Giannis missed Game 1 and that Herro won’t register another minute in the series, Bucks in 5 (+375) might be the value play.
Take Milwaukee to cover the 7.5-points on Wednesday and even the best-of-seven-series at 1-1.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
