Snowstorm Delays Bucks’ Return, Pushes Heat Game Back

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks‘ scheduled game against the Miami Heat on Thursday was delayed by an hour after the team faced travel disruptions due to a historic winter storm in New Orleans. The NBA announced the game would tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET instead of 7:30 p.m. ET, just under two hours before the original start time.

The Bucks had been stranded in New Orleans following their game against the Pelicans on Wednesday, which was postponed due to heavy snowfall. The storm dumped approximately a foot of snow, leaving roads icy and impassable. Meanwhile, the Heat arrived in Milwaukee without incident and participated in a Wednesday morning shootaround.

“Thankfully we haven’t had to deal with the weather situation, but I think everybody’s glad we’re playing this game tonight,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It just gets a lot more complicated when you have to push it down the road.”

The Bucks (24-17) entered the game on a four-game winning streak, including a 123-109 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the team with 34 points and 15 rebounds. The Heat (21-21), on the other hand, had lost four of their last five games, including a 116-107 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

The game remained televised on TNT, truTV, and Max, with the network also set to reveal the starters for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Bucks previously defeated the Heat 119-108 in their first meeting this season.

Miami faced additional challenges as forward Jimmy Butler was suspended for reportedly missing a team flight. The Heat’s internal issues, combined with their recent struggles, made them underdogs against the surging Bucks.

For sports bettors, the Bucks were favored at -7.5 points, with the over/under set at 225.5 points. Milwaukee had covered the spread in four straight games, while Miami was 3-7 against the spread in its last 10 games.