Should The Miami Heat Hope To See Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks In The Playoffs?

Anthony Pasciolla | Apr 4, 2024

Feb 13, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and Milwaukee Bucks; Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports / Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat's first round matchup in the postseason is shaping up to be against either the Milwaukee Bucks or Cleveland Cavaliers, assuming they make it out of the Play-In Tournament.

The Bucks' late-season struggles should make them a desirable opponent for the Heat. They were defeated by the 14th-place Washington Wizards on Tuesday, where superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a 35-point triple double. It's important to note All-Star guard Damian Lillard was absent. Despite multiple key contributors being sidelined for Wednesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies (26-50), the Bucks lost by double digits. Their failure to meet expectations since hiring coach Doc Rivers is another major advantage for the Heat, who have one of the NBA's top coaches in Erik Spoelstra.

"Just experience, you know, making mistakes, making good plays, playing through good or bad, just being able to absorb as much as you can because we're going to face adversity moving forward," Antetokounmpo said following Wednesday's loss. "It's not going to be always easy, so it's easy to say I'm not going to play and I'm just going to sit, but I think it's the hardest to play through pain and keep on going."

Showdowns between Miami and Milwaukee are a spectacle, as two of the league's best defenders go head-to-head in Bam Adebayo and Antetokounmpo. Heat fans will also see their once-hoped-for partner to Jimmy Butler, Lillard, on the biggest stage.

Anthony Pasciolla is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached atampasciolla@gmail.comor on Instagram @anthony.pasciolla