Milwaukee Bucks: Ultimate preview for playoff matchup with Miami Heat
By Dalton Sell
What the players are saying about the Milwaukee Bucks versus the Miami Heat
Both the Bucks and the Heat have lauded each other ahead of their first round set, but some comments have undoubtedly stood out more than others.
Bucks guard Jrue Holiday has been at the forefront of the discussion as he recently made some comments about the talent disparity between these two teams. With both teams reloading on talent since their last meeting, Holiday opined that the Bucks might have star power as an advantage. Via the Bucks’ official YouTube page:
"“They’re a tough team, they play hard, very disciplined… I feel like talent-wise, we have a bit more of that, but there’s things that we have to be able to do to match their energy, things that we can utilize and things the we have in our advantage.”"
Many misconstrued Holiday’s comments as a shot directed towards Miami, but it was far from it. There will be an immeasurable amount of talent on full display for both squads and that star power between the two will likely be the determining factor in the end result of this series.
Meanwhile, Miami’s Jimmy Butler is set to play the Bucks for the first time this season after missing all three regular season meetings. The five-time All-Star will certainly add another element to that team with his competitive edge. Butler is not thinking about last year’s playoff win over the Bucks because he remains focused solely on the present. Via Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:
"“I’m ready for anything. You leave the past in the past, all the wins, all the losses, all the mishaps, all the great fortunes. It’s a different time of the year right now. You’re supposed to be playing your best basketball, be healthy. And first one to 16 wins, so we’ve got start with the first four.”"
The Bucks have likely embraced a similar mindset as they have wiped the slate clean of their postseason debacles from the last two seasons. With a reconstructed roster, newfound willingness to experiment in the lineup and home-court advantage, it will be interesting to see if Milwaukee can earn their redemption in this matchup between Miami, as it seems like the players are ready for a battle.