Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction: Will the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo help the visitors?

Miami continues to surprise and lead in the series with Milwaukee, but two key players are injured, while the Bucks' lineup for Game 4 may be optimal. Will the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo help the visitors?

The Heat's season is turning out to be a bit of a slump, and even two series wins against Milwaukee are not convincing that the team can continue to fight in the playoffs. Tyler Hierro is out for a long time due to an injury. Victor Oladipo got more playing minutes in Hierro's absence but suffered an injury the day before that will keep him out for the rest of the postseason. Erik Spoelstra is forced to rearrange the Heat's lineup. Duncan Robinson was barely in Miami's rotation recently and now spends nearly 20 minutes on the floor.

The team has won 3 of their last four games. In the previous match, Miami beat Milwaukee 121:99. Duncan Robinson hit five three-pointers, and Jimmy Butler was the main creator, scoring 30 points on 12 of 19 from the field. The Heat produced a quality play on the court with 13 steals.

The Bucks have lost 4 of their last five games, and that's a little concerning. For the third game in a row, Yannis' participation is questionable, but given the current situation, the return of the Greek superstar is increasingly likely. That said, Milwaukee won one series with Miami in Adetokumbo's absence, and the roster has much potential. The Bucks have a long bench and a solid rotation for the postseason, with Goran Dragic out of the lineup and Wesley Matthews in the infirmary.

The team shot well from long range in their last game against Miami but missed too many shots from beyond the arc. Neither Chris Middleton nor Jrue Holiday had much to show for their efforts, scoring 23 and 19 points, respectively. Milwaukee simply lacked a superstar like Yannis. All key Bucks players finished the game with a negative utility rating, and one of the critical factors was their high number of losses.

Incidental factors have played a huge role in the games between Miami and Milwaukee so far. Persistent injuries can't help but affect the outcome, but the Bucks should get an extra edge now. The team got their first win in the current playoffs. We need the bench to play at about the same level, but Holiday or Middleton could improve now. Miami lacks a guard at the heavy forward position; it's evident in almost every game. That said, the Heat had a decent defensive effort last meeting, and Mike Budenholzer has to make adjustments. The visitors will try to do without unprepared shots. The game's tempo will slow down a bit, and so will the performance.