Heat vs. Bucks, 5/15/21 NBA Predictions, Odds & DFS Notes

Heat vs. Bucks NBA Prediction

The Heat and Bucks square off in Milwaukee at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday night. With the Bucks laying 2.5 points as a home favorite and the total sitting at 231.5 points, what’s the safest bet when it comes to this matchup?

Game Snapshot

525 Miami Heat (+2.5) at 526 Milwaukee Bucks (-2.5); o/u 231.5

8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, May 15, 2021

Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI

Miami Heat DFS Notes

Victor Oladipo will not be ready for the start of the 2021-22 season as he recovers from surgery to repair a partially torn tendon in his right quad. Oladipo underwent season-ending surgery on Thursday, and while a timetable has not yet been released, he's not expected to be re-evaluated until August with him not beginning on-court work until November, at the earliest. He's going to be a free agent this summer, but he'll likely need to settle for a one-year, show-me deal given his injury history. We won't be recommending him as a target next year.

Milwaukee Bucks DFS Notes

Giannis Antetokounmpo shot 14-of-18 from the field and 11-of-16 from the line on his way to 40 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, a steal and a triple in 35 minutes of a 142-133 win against the Pacers on Thursday. This was his third 40/15/5 game of his career, with only Russell Westbrook having more than him with five of such instances in the same span. The Bucks now sit just a single game behind the Nets for the No. 2 seed in the East, and while it’s unlikely, they could take it away from Brooklyn. For what it’s worth, they have the highest point differential in the conference at +5.9 per game, yet it seems like both their losses are more lopsided than they’d like them to be. They’ll try to get some revenge against Miami on Saturday, who eliminated them from the playoffs just one season ago. Khris Middleton did his thing with 22 points, Brook Lopez had 21 and eight with a block, and Jrue Holiday had a 20/14 double-double with four boards and a season-high tying four blocks.

Heat vs. Bucks Game Prediction

The Heat are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven games versus the Bucks and are 4-1 against the number in their last five games in Milwaukee. The Heat are also 4-0 against the spread in their last four games overall and are 4-0 against the number in their last four road games. The Bucks, meanwhile, are winless against the spread in their last five games overall and are 4-9 at the betting window in their last 13 home games.

NBA PREDICTION: MIAMI HEAT +2.5