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Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware scores against the Portland Trail Blazers. We're backing Ware in our Heat vs. Bucks predictions and player props.
Pictured: Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware scores against the Portland Trail Blazers. Photo by Sam Navarro via Imagn Images.

The Miami Heat (21-21) will continue to deal with the Jimmy Butler saga on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET in Fiserv Forum when they face the Milwaukee Bucks (25-17).

Butler missed the flight to Milwaukee, prompting the team to suspend him for two games, killing their NBA championship odds. The Heat have lost four of their last five games, falling to ninth in the Eastern Conference, and are 7.5-point underdogs in Milwaukee. 

Read on for our Heat vs. Bucks predictions and player prop picks ahead of Thursday’s battle on TNT.

Heat vs. Bucks predictions

Pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale; odds via our best NBA betting sites.

  • Game pick: Bucks to win (-265 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Kel'el Ware player prop pick: Over 9.5 rebounds (+100 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Kel'el Ware player prop pick: To record a double-double (+125 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Andre Jackson player prop pick: Over 1.5 assists (+165 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐

Heat vs. Bucks player prop picks today

See our NBA player prop odds tool for the latest odds at the best legal sportsbooks in your region.

Best Heat vs. Bucks prop predictions

Kel'el Ware prop pick: Over 9.5 rebounds ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Miami rookie center Kel’el Ware started alongside Bam Adebayo on Tuesday, finishing with 20 points and 15 rebounds in 39 minutes. He’s played 73 minutes over his last two games, averaging 22.5 points and 12.5 rebounds.

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While Ware’s lofty rebound total might indicate that the market has corrected itself, there is still an edge on this line against the Bucks. Milwaukee is 30th in the league in offensive rebound rate, so I project Ware to clear 10 boards on Thursday.

Ware has collected double-digit rebounds in three of his past five outings. Take the +100 odds on him at BetMGM to maintain his recent form.

Best odds: +100 via BetMGM | Implied probability: 50%

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Kel'el Ware prop pick: To record a double-double ⭐⭐⭐

Another way to bet on Ware recording 10-plus rebounds against Milwaukee is to take his double-double price. This prop is as short as +115 at Caesars, but bet365’s +125 price tag provides a $12.50 payout on a $10 bet.

Ware’s points prop is trading at 15.5, so he’s likely to reach double figures from a scoring perspective. He’s taken 36 shots over his past two games, indicating that Miami wants to feed him.

Edges like these don’t last long at our best sports betting sites, so I’d suggest playing at least one of these plus-money props on Ware.

Best odds: +125 via bet365 | Implied probability: 44.44%

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Andre Jackson prop pick: Over 1.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐

Second-year guard Andre Jackson played 20 minutes for Milwaukee in its 123-109 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. It marked the most minutes he’s played this month, but I could see an increase in playing time if the Bucks take care of business as 7.5-point favorites.

Jackson has dished multiple assists in back-to-back games. He’s accomplished the feat four times this month, three of which came when he played 15 or more minutes. I project him to flirt with two dimes in this matchup, meaning this +165 price tag should be listed closer to +130.

Best odds: +165 via bet365 | Implied probability: 37.74%

Heat vs. Bucks odds

Heat vs. Bucks injuries

Heat vs. Bucks game info

  • When: Thursday, Jan. 23
  • Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee)
  • How to watch: TNT
  • Favorite: Bucks -7.5 (-102 via BetMGM)

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