Heat at Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks own the best record in the NBA and are trying to lock up homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs while getting their key players healthy for next month and beyond. The Miami Heat, who visit the Bucks on Friday, are trying to earn their way into the postseason and possible date with Milwaukee in the opening round.
The Bucks lost point guard Malcolm Brogdon (foot) last week until May and it was reported Wednesday that power forward Nikola Mirotic would be out two to four weeks with a fractured left thumb in addition to minor injuries keeping Pau Gasol (ankle), George Hill (groin) and superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (ankle) out of the lineup. "He's making progress," Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters of Antetokounmpo before Wednesday's 107-102 loss at Cleveland. "He just can't go tonight. It's us hopefully being smart and somewhat cautious, but it's more than that. It's just, you know, he can't play. We'll see how the next 24, 48 hours go and I'm hopeful I think he'll be in a good place as we move forward." The Heat would start the playoffs at Milwaukee if the season ended today and are trying to move up in the standings while holding off the ninth-place Orlando Magic, who sit 1 1/2 games back. "We know how important this time of the year is," Heat guard Dwyane Wade told reporters after a 110-105 victory over San Antonio on Wednesday. "We definitely know how important these games are. It feels good to win this way and to play the way that we're playing, where it doesn't matter who's leading as long as we're doing it together."
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Miami), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE HEAT (35-36): Miami is bringing former All-Star point guard Goran Dragic off the bench alongside Wade and he is flourishing with an average of 22.3 points on 24-of-41 shooting during the team's three-game winning streak. Dragic scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half on Wednesday to help the Heat jump out to a big lead. "I just got clean looks. I feel comfortable," Dragic told reporters. "My teammates were putting me in the right positions, especially with (power forward James Johnson). I feel like every time he's setting a screen, I'm open or he's open. Just one of those nights."
ABOUT THE BUCKS (53-19): All-Star swingman Khris Middleton did his best to carry the team with Antetokounmpo out and finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds while knocking down 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. That marked the second straight double-double for the Texas A&M product, who went for 30 points and 10 boards in Tuesday's 115-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers and is averaging 17.9 points and 6.1 rebounds. Point guard Eric Bledsoe flirted with a triple-double in the loss and collected 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bucks PG Tim Frazier is scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting in two games since signing with the team.
2. Heat SF/PG Justise Winslow (thigh) sat out the last three games and is questionable for Friday.
3. Milwaukee took two of the first three meetings, including a 124-86 home win on Jan. 15.