Milwaukee Bucks Game Preview: January 17 vs Miami Heat
By Adam McGee
Major key for Milwaukee – Don’t get smothered by the defense
Although much of Sunday’s struggles for the Bucks should have led them to look inward for the source of their downfall, that doesn’t mean that Miami didn’t have a meaningful part to play in Milwaukee’s offensive struggles.
As the Bucks fell to an 18-point loss, they shot season low marks in both field goal percentage and three-point percentage, registering abysmal marks of 31.6 percent and 14.3 percent respectively. To make matters even worse, the Bucks also set a season low with just nine assists.
Erik Spoelstra’s Heat teams have always had a reputation for their discipline and organization on the defensive end, and this year’s team is no exception.
Miami ranks 11th in defensive rating and opponent field goal percentage, while opponents also find it difficult to move the ball against the Heat as they give up the league’s third lowest assists at 20.0 per game.
The Bucks have the offensive tools to unpick their opponents stingy defense, but they’ll need to be entirely focused and approach the game with an unselfish style offensively if they’re to have success.