MIAMI – The Milwaukee Bucks can clinch a playoff berth for the ninth consecutive season with a win over the Miami Heat tonight at the Kaseya Center.
The franchise record for consecutive playoff berths is 12, from 1979-91.
Of the top six teams in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks (42-34) are the only team to yet officially punch their ticket to the playoffs. They can take care of that themselves by beating a red hot Heat team, or Atlanta could help out by losing to the New York Knicks.
Miami (35-42) is currently the 10th-seed in the East and destined for the play-in tournament. But, the Heat have won six of their last seven games.
Bucks, Pistons in dogfight for No. 5 in Eastern Conference
Milwaukee and Detroit have been jockeying for the fifth seed over the last week, and the Pistons (43-34) open Saturday in the No. 5 seed – which would have them play the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers. The Bucks are currently sixth, which would have them play the Knicks – a team they lost three times to quite handedly.
The Bucks and Pistons finish the season with a pair of games on April 11 (Detroit) and April 13 (Milwaukee).
Detroit clinched its first playoff berth since the 2018-19 season on Friday night. They lost to the Bucks in the first round that year.
Is Giannis playing?
Giannis Antetokounmpo is probable to play vs. the Heat, and participated in the team's shootaround. The Bucks star is managing a left foot sprain suffered in late March in Phoenix, but he has played the last four games and is averaging 33.3 points, 10.8 assists and 10.0 rebounds in that time.
What time is the Bucks game?
The Bucks and Heat will tip off at 7 p.m. CT.
What channel is the Bucks game on?
The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin with Lisa Byington, Marques Johnson, and Melanie Ricks on the call.
Bucks injury report
- Bobby Portis Jr., out (league suspension)
- Jericho Sims, out (right thumb surgery)
- Damian Lillard, out (right calf deep vein thrombosis)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, probable (left foot sprain)
- AJ Green, probable (right AC joint sprain)
Bucks probable starters
- Guards: Ryan Rollins, Taurean Prince
- Forwards: Giannis ...
