The first-round matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and MIami Heat took another surprising turn on Saturday when the Heat cruised to a 22-point win in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead. Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo's has missed the last two games after hurting his back in Game 1, but he is expected to return to the court on Monday night for Game 4 as Milwaukee tries to even the best-of-seven series.
Ahead of Monday's action, here's everything you need to know:
(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Miami Heat
- Date: Monday, April 24 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Kaseya Center -- Miami, Florida
- TV channel: TNT | Live stream: TNT app
- Odds: Bucks -7.5; O/U 218.5 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Bucks: The Bucks have the talent to win this series even without their star man, but not if they play as they did in Game 3, when they turned the ball over 18 times, got crushed on the glass and gave up another huge 3-point shooting night. Antetokounmpo's likely return should make things easier for the rest of the roster, but it's still a road playoff game that is close to must-win territory.
Heat: After being one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league during the regular season, the Heat have suddenly found their shot against the Bucks. They went 16-of-33 in their Game 3 win and are now 47-of-94 for the series. While the Bucks will concede looks with their style of defense, it will be interesting to see if the Heat can keep up this level of shooting after making just 34.4% of their attempts in the regular season.
Prediction
The momentum has swung wildly back and forth in this series, and we'll predict that to happen again with a Bucks win in Game 4. Giannis is ready to return, and it's hard to imagine the Heat continue shooting 50 percent from 3-point land. Pick: Bucks -7.5
