Milwaukee Bucks: Ultimate preview for playoff matchup with Miami Heat
By Dalton Sell
Question for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat ahead of their matchup
Aside from whether or not they can win the 3-point battle on both ends, the biggest question for the Bucks revolves around Jrue Holiday.
They traded for him because guard play had been among their weak points in years past and the time has come to see whether Holiday can be what they have envisioned. If his regular season numbers signal anything, he can undoubtedly be that upgrade as he has elevated this team on both ends of the floor since coming aboard.
Offensively, he will be a reliable ball handler that can score and make the right plays for others when the Heat try to limit Giannis. Holiday’s ability to score from anywhere on the floor has been apparent all throughout the regular season and the team is hoping he can keep those efforts consistent heading into the postseason.
Defensively, the guard will have his work cut out for him as he will likely primarily be tasked with guarding Jimmy Butler. With the Bucks having no answer to Butler last year, having one of the best defenders in the entire association in Holiday provides optimism this time around.
For Miami, the biggest question is who can assert themselves into the Jae Crowder role that took Milwaukee by surprise last season. After acquiring the forward midseason through trade, the Heat got a massive lift from Crowder against the Bucks in the playoffs as he paved the way in their perimeter assault by shooting 22-for-51 (43.1 percent) from range. Simultaneously, he was impactful on the defensive end by holding Giannis Antetokounmpo to 9-for-22 shooting on 73 partial possessions in that series, according to NBA.com/stats.
With Crowder having departed in free agency, the Heat will scour their roster up and down for a player that can provide that same fiery play on both ends of the floor.
Next. 3 Bucks whose playing time could regress versus Heat. dark
It should be a thrilling series between these two teams as the first game is set to tip off later today at 1:00 p.m. CST. You can catch that game on ESPN as well as Bally Sports Wisconsin for those living locally and make sure to stay tuned here for updates.