NBA: 4 first-round playoff matchups that we should be rooting for

Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
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Miami Heat
Miami Heat Jimmy and Bam (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

NBA first-round playoff matchups we need to root for: Heat vs. Bucks

With less than 20 games remaining in the regular season, a Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat first-round playoff matchup is actually more likely than we all realize. The Bucks are locked into the third seed in the Eastern Conference and the Heat could end up entering the postseason anywhere between the 4-8 seed.

The last time we saw these two teams facing off in a meaningful game, Giannis Antetokunmpo was nursing a bum ankle and drenched in disappointment. What better way for the Bucks to begin their playoff road to redemption than avenging last year’s postseason loss?

If the Bucks are going to be taken seriously in the playoffs, they’re going to have to prove that they’re no longer the younger brother in the conference. There might not be a better first step in doing that than beating the Heat in the first round of the playoffs.