Bucks Zone

GAME DAY PREVIEW AND INJURY REPORT: The Milwaukee Bucks play the Miami Heat to a cap a four-game homestand

The Bucks are 2-0 against the Heat this season.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
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After scoring a big win over the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, the Milwaukee Bucks will try to sustain the momentum when they cap their four-game homestand against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

The Bucks are playing their second game in two nights as they are coming off a big 112-95 win over the Nuggets on Monday night. With the dominant win over the Nuggets, the Bucks started their first winning streak under coach Doc Rivers.

Playing harder on defense

Milwaukee improved to 3-5 under Rivers after winning two of their last three games that are part of the current four-game homestand. The Bucks are currently third in the Eastern Conference with a 35-19 record.

Rivers has been preaching defense since he took over, and the Bucks have responded well. The victory over the Nuggets marked the second straight game that the Bucks held their opponents under the century mark. Milwaukee posted a 120-84 win over the Charlotte Hornets before scoring an equally impressive win against the Nuggets. In Milwaukee’s five losses under Rivers, the Bucks gave up an average of 119.6 points per game.

The Bucks are 2-0 in their three-game regular-season series with the Heat. Milwaukee defeated Miami in their first meeting on October 30th, 122-114, then won again on November 28th, 131-124.

Miami, which is coming off a 110-106 loss to the Boston Celtics, is currently eighth in the East with a 28-25 record.

Injury report

Khris Middleton will miss another game for the Bucks due to a sprained ankle.

Jimmy Butler (personal), Terry Rozier (knee), Dru Smith (knee), and Jason Richardson (shoulder) will be out for the Heat. Duncan Robinson (shoulder/elbow) is listed as questionable. 

What we learned from the Milwaukee Bucks' blowout win over the Denver Nuggets

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.