The rising Milwaukee Bucks look to stay hot as they visit the Miami Heat in South Beach. 

Catch the game tomorrow at 8:30 AM, Manila time.

AWAY: Milwaukee Bucks (8-9, 1-6 AWAY)

Projected starting five:

• Damain Lillard
• Gary Trent Jr.
• Taurean Prince
• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Brook Lopez

Following a horrendous 2-8 start to their season, the Bucks are continuing to gain steam. They are now 6-1 over their last seven games, averaging 116.7 points per game and allowing just 108.9 on the other end across that span.

The team’s sense of urgency has been led by its two stars: Giannis Antetokounmpo (32.4 PPG) and Damian Lillard (25.2 PPG). The former also just won Player of the Week honors.

The tandem is trying hard to crawl away from the belief that they don’t fit, and while it’s been tough, the fight is there. Both are in good stretches, with Giannis averaging a career-high in scoring and Dame recently recording three-straight double-doubles on points and assists.

With Khris Middleton still out, bigs Bobby Portis (13.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG) and Brook Lopez have been the All-Star duo’s main help. The 36-year-old Lopez has been particularly solid in their recent surge, posting 17.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks on 41.3% from deep in those seven contests. ‘3 and D’ guy Taurean Prince is also contributing nicely as well as he is shooting 51.3% from three on 5.8 attempts per game.

HOME: Miami Heat (7-7, 3-3 HOME)

Projected starting five:

• Terry Rozier
• Tyler Herro
• Jimmy Butler
• Nikola Jovic
• Bam Adebayo

The Heat are looking for their third win in a row. They won big against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, 106-89, despite trailing by as much as 18, then eked out a 123-118 overtime victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday after a long break. Both Ws are just what they need considering they are trying to shake off yet another early-season blues.

Nevertheless, we should keep seeing Tyler Herro (23.8 PPG, 5.1 APG) emerge as the group’s new no. 1 scorer, with the 35-year-old Jimmy Butler taking it from time to time. 

Butler is still pretty smooth, though, (19.2 PPG, 5.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 52.1 FG%) and should be able to catch a hot streak at some point.

Workhorse Bam Adebayo (16.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG) is struggling to find a consistent rhythm one month in, and is also shooting just 42.4% from the floor, quite awful for a big man and is down 12% from his career averages.

Starting guard Terry (12.9 PPG, 38 FG%) Rozier has missed the last two games due to a foot injury, but may finally return. Like Adebayo, however, he’s hoping to be more efficient.

PICKS:

Spread: Bucks (+2.5)

Over/Under: Over (224)