The first round match-up between the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks is one of the most anticipated duels in this year's NBA Playoffs. This is a rematch of last year's second round duel, where the Heat upset the Bucks, 4-1. As such, the Bucks will come out with a vengeance and employ a specific game plan. Yet the fact of the matter is they have not figured out the Heat. But rather, it's the Heat who know how to defeat the Bucks with ease.
The Heat will likely employ similar tactics and also garner similar results. Here are two main reasons the boys from South Beach will beat the Bucks once again in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Heat Know How To Defend Giannis
Giannis Antetokounmpo may be a two-time MVP. But for the Heat, he's just a regular player they've figured out. This was pretty much evident in last year's skirmish, where they steamrolled past the top-seeded Bucks by limiting Giannis.
The Heat continue to have the blueprint and the personnel to stop The Greek Freak and ultimately beat the Bucks. In the three games they faced in the regular season, the Bucks had the edge, 2-1. But a look at the statistics shows how Jimmy Butler and company contained Giannis, who only scored nine, 26, and 15 points respectively in those three outings. Credit to the other Bucks for filling the void. Not to insult them, but it's difficult to imagine the Bucks' role players being productive at a consistent level.
Expect the Heat to unveil their prized strategy on how to stop Giannis. They employ several defensive tactics, including limiting the Bucks' transition opportunities, where the lengthy forward shines either thru finishing it by himself or dropping it off to his teammates. The Heat, however, have developed the presence of mind to run back on defense, while in a halfcourt set-up, they fully load on Giannis with as much as four guys clogging the paint.
They also give Giannis space whenever he's behind the three-point line. He will drain some of them but the Heat don't expect him to shoot like Stephen Curry. Whenever Giannis manages to get in the paint, they would rather foul and see him struggle on the free throw line.
Erik Spoelstra
There's a good reason why the Heat have stuck with coach Erik Spoelstra all these years. After their four consecutive NBA Finals trips which resulted in two titles, the Heat seemed to go on a downward trend. It would've been understandable if team boss Pat Riley decided to part ways with Spoelstra, but he has so much confidence in the man that he allowed him to stay through those tough years.
Last year may have been the culmination of this Riley's unrelenting trust in Spoelstra. The Heat, as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, pretty much cruised their way to the NBA Finals. This is where Spoelstra's talent at making the perfect game plan revealed itself. Spoelstra adjusted his defenses drastically every series. As Mark Pineda of SB Nation observed, with the Indiana Pacers, Spoelstra instructed his players to switch everything up. He was confident that not a single player in the Pacers can beat the Heat one on one.
For the Bucks, as noted earlier, the Heat essentially built a wall whenever Giannis had the ball. Against the Boston Celtics, the Heat employed a 2-3 zone which eliminated iso-ball with Jayson Tatum and pick-and-roll plays with Kemba Walker. To makes things more difficult, the Heat did not just stick to the zone but switched it up to man then back to zone.
Apart from Spoelstra's innate talent, his savant-like mentality can be attributed to sheer hard work and dedication. We've heard his beginnings as the Heat's video coordinator and how he worked his way up to an assistant coach then head coach. Amid all his success, Spoelstra has never lost his work ethic. And he'll be the main reason why the Heat will oust the Bucks.
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