Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction & Match Preview - December 4th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22

The Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks will meet for the second time this season on Saturday at the Fiserv Forum. [Photo: AZCentral]

The Miami Heat will visit the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. It will be the first meeting between the two teams since Miami pounded Milwaukee in the Heat’s season opener. The Heat torched the short-handed Bucks in that game for a season-high 137 points.

Erick Spoelstra’s team will be without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo for their encounter with the Milwaukee Bucks. They are unlikely to reproduce the same scoring barrage without two of their best players for the rematch. It’ll be a tough matchup for the Miami Heat on the road against the resurgent home team.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ eight-game winning streak was snapped by the Toronto Raptors without Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP was held out due to calf soreness but is expected to be back for the game against the Miami Heat.

Oh no!!

Our streak!!

It's broken!! https://t.co/Blxp5mx2d3

Coach Mike Budenholzer’s team is unbeatable when the trio of Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday play together. The Milwaukee Bucks are a spotless 8-0 this season when their Big 3 takes the court. In their thrashing at the hands of the Miami Heat, Holiday and Brook Lopez were sidelined with injuries.

Match Details

Fixture: Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks

Date & Time: Saturday, December 4th; 8:00 PM ET (Sunday, December 5th; 6:30 AM IST)

Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI

Miami Heat Preview

The Miami Heat will miss two of their best two-way players against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. [Photo: Fadeaway World]

The Miami Heat are only 3-4 in their last seven games, mainly due to injuries to their best players. That will be the case again when they face off against the defending champions.

Missing Butler and Adebayo will affect the Heat on both ends of the floor. They are dominant two-way players who have made a major impact on Miami’s spectacular start to the season.

NBA INJURY ALERT: Heat SF Jimmy Butler (tailbone) will miss the next two games. https://t.co/8f8fbZpoVS

Without their starting center and small forward, the Miami Heat have turned to Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro for production. Both delivered against the Indiana Pacers, where they finished with 26 and 18, respectively. Miami will need more than that to have a chance of beating the Milwaukee Bucks.

An encouraging sign for the Miami Heat was Duncan Robinson’s play against the Indiana Pacers. The team’s struggling shooting guard finished with 24 points, highlighted by 4-7 shooting from downtown. He will be needed more than ever against the Bucks.

Key Player - Kyle Lowry

Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson are undoubtedly the better scorers or shooters, but it’s the former All-Star that makes the Miami Heat tick. He brings championship poise and leadership that no one on this team offers.

What Lowry does on the floor for the Heat often does not show up in the box score. Even with Butler and Adebayo around, Miami operates on another level when the 16-year veteran plays.

Season-high 26 PTS 🔥
Season-high tying 6 3PM ☔

@Klow7 leads the scoring charge in the @MiamiHEAT win! https://t.co/V1YUcj5KCy

When asked to do more without the team’s two starters, Kyle Lowry delivered his best scoring game of the season against the Pacers. He finished with 26 points, which were highlighted by his 9-18 shooting, including 6-13 from three-point range. Erik Spoelstra will lean on him even more against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Miami Heat Predicted Lineup

G - Kyle Lowry | G - Tyler Herro | F - Duncan Robinson | F - P.J. Tucker | C - Dewayne Dedmon

Milwaukee Bucks Preview

The defending champs are still unbeaten this season when their Big 3 plays. [Photo: YouTube]

At one point, the Milwaukee Bucks were 6-8 and struggling to find rhythm amid the team’s spate of injuries. With Jrue Holiday, Bobby Portis and Khris Middleton back in the lineup, the Bucks reeled off eight consecutive wins. Milwaukee is starting to remind everyone what they are capable of when healthy.

It has been 144 days since the Milwaukee Bucks lost a game where Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Giannis Antetokounmpo played together. https://t.co/S07EtFqBnW

Mike Budenholzer has been preaching patience and resilience since the season started, particularly after the drubbing at the hands of the Miami Heat earlier in the season. They have started to find more consistency and chemistry with a relatively healthy lineup.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo back from a quick layoff, the Milwaukee Bucks will be looking to avenge their biggest loss of the season.

Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo

From the Milwaukee Bucks’ struggles to their recent glittering form, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the only constant factor for the team. He has kept the team afloat and has led them in their resurgence. With the Bucks starting to string together wins, the Greek Freak’s MVP chances have also risen.

Any questions about a championship hangover were immediately answered at the start of the season. Despite leading the Milwaukee Bucks to their first championship in 50 years, the former Defensive Player of the Year is showing no signs of slowing down.

Updated MVP Tracker, via @bball_ref:

1.) Steph Curry
2.) Giannis Antetokounmpo
3.) Nikola Jokic
4.) Kevin Durant
5.) Chris Paul
6.) Jimmy Butler
7.) James Harden
8.) Rudy Gobert
9.) Draymond Green
10.) DeMar DeRozan

The loss to the Miami Heat at the start of the season is Milwaukee’s most lopsided and should leave a bad taste in their mouths. They will surely try to get back that loss on Saturday.

Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup

G - Jrue Holiday | F - Grayson Allen | F - Khris Middleton | F - Giannis Antetokounmpo | C - Bobby Portis

Heat vs Bucks Match Prediction

The tables have turned in the rematch between the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat will miss two of their best players. Although both teams have downplayed the revenge factor, the defending champions should be raring to erase that horrible loss with a big win.

The Milwaukee Bucks could get past the short-handed Miami Heat.

Where to watch the Heat vs Bucks game

The NBA League Pass will stream the game live. Bally Sports Wisconsin and Bally Sports Sun will provide local coverage of the said matchup.