GAME PREVIEW: Miami looks to take commanding 3-1 series lead

The Heat will try to protect home court again with Giannis set to return tonight.

Game Story:

The Miami Heat will play game 4 inside the Kaseya Center against the Milwaukee Bucks with a current series lead of 2-1. Miami will try to get complete control of home court advantage and get both wins in South Beach, potentially going back to Milwaukee for game 5 with a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The Heat played very well in game 3, as the bench erupted with 59 total points and provided Jimmy Butler with that help that he’s needed. Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin and Max Strus were super solid and all landed in double digits in scoring.

Sadly, the team lost the services of Victor Oladipo, who was also playing well off the bench, indefinitely with a knee injury. It will be next man up mentality as always and the squad will try to steal this series for Dipo. Expect to see plenty of Duncan Robinson minutes as the SG went off with 20 points off the bench in game 3.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is listed as questionable on the injury report, but it looks like he will be returning and suiting up for tonight’s game.

If coach Spoelstra opts to keep last game’s starting unit going big with Kevin Love, it would put Adebayo on Antetokounmpo to start off. Which would also allow Love to cover the big body of Brook Lopez.

These wins need to come as a collective effort, as long as Butler gets contributions from the supporting cast and the team shoots the ball well, Miami will be a hard team to beat. Especially in front of their home fans.

Butler and Adebayo are both on the injury report but expected to be available and starting. Butler sat the last quarter in the last game with a bruised gluteus, but still managed to drop an efficient 30 points in 28 limited minutes.

Even rookie Nikola Jovic is upgraded to questionable for the first time in months and Lowry isn’t listed on the report at all. That leaves Tyler Herro and Oladipo as the only men out.

Tonight‘s critical game 4 will be nationally televised on TNT.

Injury Report:

MIAMI:

• Bam Adebayo (hamstring) — PROBABLE

• Jimmy Butler (gluteus) — QUESTIONABLE

• Nikola Jovic (back) — QUESTIONABLE

• Tyler Herro (hand) — OUT

• Victor Oladipo (knee) — OUT

MILWAUKEE:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (back) — QUESTIONABLE

• Wesley Matthews (calf) — OUT

Probable Starters (at time of publishing):

MIAMI

• Jimmy Butler

• Kevin Love

• Bam Adebayo

• Max Strus

• Gabe Vincent

MILWAUKEE

• Khris Middleton

• Giannis Antetokounmpo

• Brook Lopez

• Grayson Allen

• Jrue Holiday

ODDS (via FanDuel)

Check the odds out at FanDuel!

Broadcast Info:

Tipoff: 7:30 PM EST

TV: TNT & Bally Sports Sun (Eric Reid, John Crotty)

Radio: AM 560 Sports WQAM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson)

Spanish Radio: WAQI 710 AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda)

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