Miami Heat: Will Meyers Leonard crack rotation against Milwaukee Bucks?
Three games into Orlando, Meyers Leonard has yet to suit up for the Miami Heat. Will that change against the Milwaukee Bucks?
The Miami Heat are 2-1 inside the NBA’s bubble but big man Meyers Leonard is 0-3 in appearances on the floor in that span. Could Wednesday night’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks be his chance to reclaim his place in the rotation?
The Heat are without Jimmy Butler and potentially Goran Dragic as they prepare to face the Eastern Conference one seed and reigning MVP. That’s two of Miami’s top guys, which will undoubtedly lead to head coach Erik Spoelstra digging deeper into his bench.
He’ll likely start with Leonard, who was a Heat starter in each of the 49 games he’s been available this season. The fit proved glue-like, with him averaging 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. But he did miss the final 16 games before the league’s suspension with an ankle injury.
In his place, Spoelstra’s rolled with Jae Crowder at the power forward position and had Bam Adebayo lead the frontcourt charge at center. The two have made for a defensive upgrade under the basket, but it could prove a costly disadvantage against Milwaukee.
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The Bucks have a number of seven-foot talents, including brothers Brook and Robin Lopez, who can both stretch floor with their ability to connect on shots from deep. Having Leonard out there to help combat that defensively may prove a better matchup than Crowder.
Mentioning their three-point efficiency, it’s worth noting that Wednesday’s matchup with Milwaukee may come down to just that: a shootout. Even without Butler, this Heat roster is very tough defensively and filled top to bottom with three-point shooters.
If that proves the case, then it certainly would be better to have a guy like Leonard out on the floor seeing time, even if only against the second and third units. Spoelstra has yet to offer a real reason for the big man’s absence, mostly citing matchup issues and lineup experimentation.
Leonard had eight points, seven rebounds, and a steal in Miami’s October win over the Bucks. He wasn’t available for their second game against Milwaukee but should see time on Wednesday.
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The Miami Heat will look to make it two consecutive wins on Wednesday, but Meyers Leonard will just hope to see time on the floor against the Milwaukee Bucks. Tip-off is at 4:00 pm est.