This is Advanced Scout. Every Sunday here at All U Can Heat, we’ll take a look at the upcoming week’s schedule and scout the Miami Heat’s opponents. We’ll discuss the biggest storyline, toughest matchup and depth chart for the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards.
Monday, Oct. 30 vs Milwaukee Bucks
Biggest storyline: The Milwaukee Bucks acquisition of the sharpshooting Malik Beasley to bolster their backcourt.
Ok, just kidding. I think everyone knows the Bucks surprise acquisition of Damian Lillard will be front and center of this matchup.
Lillard’s Bucks debut could not have gone much better, with the dynamic guard lighting up Philadelphia for 39 points. Miami took down this Bucks team in one of the greatest upsets in NBA playoff history just six months prior, but now that they have a true alpha-level scorer alongside their old core of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez, Miami will have their work cut out for them trying to stop this redesigned offense.
Toughest matchup: Again, it’s Lillard. Bam Adebayo may be the closest thing to a Giannis-stopper on planet Earth, and it’s expected that he will start on the two-time MVP while Kevin Love tussles with Brook Lopez. As such, Miami must be razor-sharp at the point of attack when facing Lillard. Despite this being his age-33 season, Lillard got to the foul line 17 times in his Bucks debut, building off his last year with Portland where he averaged a career-best 9.6 FTA per game (and is also a 90% career foul shooter). Miami’s point-of-attack defense thus far has… underwhelmed, so it will require a full group effort, with what I imagine will be ample Bam help, to rein Lillard in.
Depth chart:
PG: Lillard / Payne
SG: Beasley / Connaughton
SF: Middleton / Beauchamp
PF: Antetokounmpo / Crowder
C: Brook Lopez / Portis / Robin Lopez