Milwaukee Bucks: 3 matchups that will be pivotal against Miami Heat

Can Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo outmatch Bam Adebayo?

There are not many players in the NBA today that can truly slow down reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

However, the Heat have one of the few players that can make things tougher for Giannis on the floor in Bam Adebayo. The Defensive Player of the Year candidate has proven himself impactful as he has held Antetokounmpo to 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting, including 2-of-8 from long range across 57 partial possessions in their three meetings this season.

Adebayo guarded Antetokounmpo for only six minutes in the playoffs last year as Jae Crowder was the MVP’s primary defender. Crowder locked him down for the most part while also lighting the Bucks up from 3-point range, which played a crucial part in Miami’s victory in that series. That made it quite surprising when they let him go in free agency. With him no longer in the picture, Adebayo will likely assume the responsibility of guarding Antetoukounmpo full time this time around.

The battle between these two will be the most important matchup in the entire series. If Giannis can figure out Miami’s defense that kept him at bay in the last postseason, then the Bucks will be in fantastic shape. It will be a tall task as Adebayo is one of the better post defenders in the entire association, but Antetokounmpo is ready to right the ship this time.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is the engine that makes this Bucks team go and they will need him working overtime in this first round set with the Heat.