The Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks went against one another at the Kaseya Center for an NBA Cup game. Before the game, Charles Barkley was asked for his prediction on the matchup on an episode of Inside the NBA.
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The NBA legend showed confidence in the Miami franchise and picked them to win over the Bucks. It didn’t take too long for Chuck’s prediction to fall flat on its face as the Bucks defeated the Heat 106-103 at their home.
This created an opportunity for the Bucks’ social media to troll Barkley for his poor call. Their official X, formerly Twitter account posted a short clip of Chuck’s prediction. In the video, the NBA legend can be heard saying, “Who wins? The Bucks or the Heat. I got the Heat.” To rub salt in the wound, they captioned the post with fire emojis.
🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/WLbxRPT1ue
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 27, 2024
In a way, fans should’ve known that the Bucks were favored to win the second Chuck said, “I got the Heat.” His ‘guarantees’ are almost always incorrect and tonight was no different.
Following the trolling, the NBA on TNT’s official handle posted a picture of Barkley in response. In the picture, he has a sad and disappointing face.
Chuck really guaranteed it too 🙃 https://t.co/7k0Jzo1U5X pic.twitter.com/dIUL4syipz
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 27, 2024
It’s worth noting that the Bucks didn’t have the best start to the season, which might have influenced Barkley’s prediction. However, he should’ve known that the Milwaukee franchise are in the midst of successfully turning things around. They are currently on a five-game winning streak and have won 7 of their last 8 games.
Damian Lillard led the team with 37 points, 3 rebounds, and 13 assists in 38 minutes. He shot 10-17 from the field and 8-13 from beyond the arc. Dame also made 9-9 on free throws. In Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence, they needed a great performance from Lillard and he didn’t disappoint.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton didn’t play against Miami
The Bucks were missing some of their best players on the floor. Giannis was probable on the team’s injury report leading up to the game, but he ended up participating in the shootaround and did his pregame routine. However, he had to sit out after noticing some discomfort and swelling in his left knee.
Khris Middleton is another star player that the Bucks need, but they have to wait till he fully recovers from the ankle surgeries he underwent during the offseason. Shams Charania reported that the team is hopeful for his return and that “he’s gonna be able to make his season debut at some point after Thanksgiving.”
Middleton recently completed a five-on-five scrimmage with his team. This confirms that his season debut is just around the corner. Even though the Bucks struggled early in the season, going 2-8, they are now back on track with five consecutive wins and an overall 9-9 record. Once all the players are healthy and back in rotation, the franchise can cause major problems for the rest of the league.