Miami Heat: Three things that will help them beat the Milwaukee Bucks

The Miami Heat start their second-round series against Milwaukee on Monday. Here are a few things that might help them along.

Well, Miami Heat fans. We are finally here, in the second round of the playoffs and against arguably the best team in the league, the Milwaukee Bucks.

This highly anticipated series is something that Miami Heat fans have been waiting for since Miami locked in the fifth seed. Now, that reality is finally here.

Against Milwaukee, what are some things that Miami can do in order to pull off the upset, possibly even making Giannis Antetokounmpo think long and hard about how long is tender in Milwaukee should be?

To me, this series is going to come down to being able to stop the other guys on Milwaukee’s squad. Antetokounmpo is ultimately going to get his but Miami should just want to make it as tough as possible for him on every possession, make him work for his buckets.

While that is one thing that definitely needs to happen in order to get a win in this series, it isn’t the only thing. With that, here are three things that Miami has to do in order to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Make life rough for Khris Middleton

What I mean here is doing something like what Orlando Magic Head Coach Steve Clifford did, trapping Middleton anytime he was in a pick and roll. It makes other people on Milwaukee have to step up and make a play in the half-court.

It also can cause turnovers. It would also be wise to give Middleton different looks to put pressure on him at all times.

I like Middleton as my third best player, but I’m not sure if he has the guts to be a team’s second-best player. Miami can also throw different bodies at him as well.

The Miami Heat are in for a battle in the second round. Here’s how they beat the Milwaukee Bucks.

X-Factors for Miami need to be big

The Miami Heat’s potential x-factors are going to be huge. Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and/or Kelly Olynyk could potentially make or break the series.

Milwaukee’s defensive scheme is to protect the rim at all costs while falling back on shooters. Miami though, has enough shooters to make life hard for Milwaukee.

If Crowder and Olynyk can hit their threes at a good rate then it becomes just that much harder,  especially if Iguodala can hit his open threes at a good rate. That then means more minutes for Iguodala and defensively, he has been great since the start of the bubble.

We know Iguodala can hit the clutch three when left open. We have seen him do it before. Hopefully, he’ll be able to do it some more if called upon.

Goran Dragic vs Milwaukee Points Guards

During an amazing series versus Indiana, Goran Dragic was Miami’s security blank if the offense stalled. Hopefully, Dragic keeps that momentum against the Milwaukee point guards.

Dragic knows Eric Bledsoe from their Phoenix Suns days and we know Bledsoe has struggled in the playoffs before. If you can make Bledsoe a shooter, not letting him get downhill on the drive game, you can make him look really below average.

Like Bledsoe, George Hill has always been inconsistent with his play in the postseason as well. Miami can capitalize on Milwaukee’s inconsistent guard play and it starts with The Dragon.

If tasked to give a hardcore prediction, I would go Miami Heat in seven. It’ll be a hard-fought series but the Heat should prevail.