The Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks will face off in Game 5 of the first round tonight in Milwaukee. The Heat lead the series 3-1.
The Heat have been the better team in this series so far, winning three of the first four games. They have been led by Jimmy Butler, who is averaging 29.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. Bam Adebayo has also been a key contributor, averaging 18.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
The Bucks have been without Giannis Antetokounmpo for most of the series due to a knee injury. He is listed as questionable for Game 5, but it is unclear if he will play. Even if he does play, it is not clear how effective he will be.
Here are some key matchups to watch in Game 5:
- Jimmy Butler vs. Jrue Holiday: Butler has been the best player in this series so far, and he will need to continue his strong play if the Heat want to win. Holiday will be tasked with guarding Butler, and he will need to do a good job of limiting his impact.
- Bam Adebayo vs. Brook Lopez: Adebayo has been a force in the paint this series, and he will need to continue to dominate Lopez. Lopez has been struggling this series, and he will need to play better if the Bucks want to win.
- Kyle Lowry vs. Khris Middleton: Lowry has been a key contributor for the Heat off the bench, and he will need to continue to play well if they want to win. Middleton has been the Bucks’ second-leading scorer this series, and he will need to have a big game if they want to force a Game 6.
The Heat are the favorites to win Game 5, but the Bucks will not go down without a fight. This should be an exciting game, and it will be interesting to see if the Heat can close out the series.