Round 2. The stage set for a rematch. The Heat winning last year, but a fresh year for the Bucks. Jimmy vs Giannis. We are ready for the next chapter in this amazing rivalry. It is no secret that the Heat won round one in the conference semis in a dominant fashion. The only time that the Heat lost was also in an overtime game. The Heat also are 8-1 all time against the Bucks in their playoff history. Not great odds for Giannis and crew, but the Bucks have a fresh mindset. It is leading The Bucks have added Jrue Holiday in the offseason making him Giannis partner in crime. The Heat have pretty much kept the same team they brought all the way through the playoffs last year. The biggest problem for the Heat has been injuries.
The biggest key to this game has to be Jrue Holiday. He is basically the only difference we see from last year. The Bucks gave up a lot in order to land Holiday in the first place. This series is going to mean everything with this being the start. His defensive help and scoring will bring the Bucks right into the series. The second thing for the Bucks has to be the shooting from beyond the arc. The Bucks rank number five from betting the arc. This works perfectly as the Heat will be focused on stopping Giannis. If they don’t focus on Giannis then they can continue to win the inside ball.
The Heat have nothing to lose in this series. They have been consistently dominant towards the end of the season. It is already an accomplishment to come back below the playoff line to escape the play in game. Jimmy has to be the biggest x factor in this game. He was instrumental to lead the Heat into the mix last year. He is going to turn it on this year as well if he wants the Heat to continue to advance. Butler has led the team in points and assists for the Heat. Then there is Bam.
Bam will also be someone to look towards here as Giannis is the most important player on the other side of the ball. Expect Giannis to take it to Bam and the only question is how Bam will respond. He is second on the team and will need to continue to be strong every single game in order to keep the series close. The Heat will have to play their best ball with a much stronger Bucks team.
At the end of the day, the Bucks remember everything that happened to them last year. The opportunity, the championship run, and the disappointment. They can feel it all and they are a much better team this year than they were last year. The Bucks have waited for this moment and they are ready for it. Jimmy Butler has been proving people wrong ever since he stepped through the door. No series is going to be easy with Butler on the other side. The question for me is whether Bam will step up or not. I don’t think Bam will be as strong playing against Giannis who knows this will be one of his last chances to push for the chip. This time the Bucks take the first two games giving them enough momentum to win the series 4-2.
Top Picture by Getty Images