The Daily Sweat: Bucks have shaken off slump, go for another win vs. Heat
The Milwaukee Bucks were 6-8 at one point this season. It's not the way they wanted to defend their championship.
There were good reasons, of course. Jrue Holiday injured himself in the opener and missed some time. Khris Middleton was out for a while due to COVID-19. Then 11 games ago, Middleton came back. Holiday had already returned. In those 11 games, the Bucks are 10-1. Their only loss since mid-November came by four points at Toronto in a game that Giannis Antetokounmpo missed due to injury.
The Bucks' hot streak takes center stage on Wednesday night as they play at the Miami Heat on ESPN. The Bucks are 6.5-point favorites at BetMGM.
The Heat and Bucks have been intertwined the past couple seasons. The Heat swept the Bucks in the playoffs in 2020, shocking the top seed in the East. They'd go onto the NBA Finals. Last season the Bucks got revenge, sweeping the Heat in the first round on their way to the title. One of the Bucks' worst moments this season was a 137-95 loss to Miami on Oct. 21. The Bucks just beat the Heat 124-102 last Saturday.
The problem is, this isn't the Heat team that looked like a contender early in the season. Jimmy Butler has had a tailbone injury, which he aggravated in Miami's last game. He and Markieff Morris have been ruled out of Wednesday's game. Bam Adebayo is out multiple weeks after thumb surgery.
Unfortunately, ESPN is getting a banged-up Heat team or this would be a great NBA game for national TV. The Heat will battle, because they're a tough team that still is talented even when they're missing great players. But the Bucks are on a roll now, and there might not be much stopping them. Except maybe the Brooklyn Nets.
Here's the first look at the sports betting slate for Wednesday:
Big night in the NBA
After a light three-game night in the NBA on Tuesday, there are 13 games on the schedule Wednesday.
Bucks-Heat gets the early ESPN treatment, but there are a few other intriguing games. The Indiana Pacers host the New York Knicks, and Indiana is a 4.5-point favorite. The Philadelphia 76ers are 7.5-point favorites over a fun but depleted Charlotte Hornets team. The Chicago Bulls as 2.5-point underdogs would seem like a gift at the Cleveland Cavaliers, but DeMar DeRozan is in health and safety protocols. The Bulls are still capable of winning shorthanded. One more good matchup is the Dallas Mavericks, off blowing a lead and losing to the Nets on Tuesday, as 4.5-point underdogs at the Memphis Grizzlies.
It's a pretty good NBA League Pass night.
What else is on the schedule?
College basketball has seven top-25 teams in action, and the best game might be Wisconsin hosting Indiana. The Badgers are 3.5-point favorites. Michigan State is a 6.5-point favorite over what should be an overmatched Minnesota team, though the Gophers are 7-0 and did get one solid win over Mississippi State. Also, West Virginia is a 1.5-point favorite over UConn,
The NHL has four games as well, highlighted by the Colorado Avalanche as -150 favorites at the New York Rangers. The Avs have given up a lot of goals lately and are finishing a five-game road trip, so the home underdog is worth a look.
What's the best bet?
I'd go with the Bucks, because the Heat are missing those key players. It's hard enough to keep up with Milwaukee lately for healthy teams. But also I'd lean to Michigan State even as a sizable road favorite, and make Minnesota prove its good start is legit.
