The Miami Heat play host to the Milwaukee Bucks at FTX Arena on Thursday evening.

The Heat are set to open their season against the very team that swept them out of last season's playoffs in just the first round. It may have seemed like an underachievement for the Heat to get booted so early, but after the Bucks went on to win the championship, it put the loss in a slightly different perspective. On the positive side, the Heat are one of the more anticipated teams to watch coming into the season, as they picked up all-star point guard and champion, Kyle Lowry in the offseason. Lowry will give the Heat a lot more toughness and leadership, as he has proven throughout his career that he is an ultimate competitor on both ends of the floor. The Heat also added recent NBA champion, P.J. Tucker to once again bolster their toughness and defensive capabilities. Victor Oladipo (quad) will not be available for Thursday's opener and is expected to be ready for action no sooner than November. The Heat's returning core of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro are all primed and ready for action.

Meanwhile, the Bucks are coming off an impressive, 127-104, win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, in their season-opener. The Bucks got out to a great start in the contest with a, 37-25, lead after one quarter. They gave up some ground in the second but regained control and momentum in the third quarter on their way to the blowout win. Last season's Finals MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, looked great in the win, as he led the way with 32 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal, in 30 minutes of action. Khris Middleton followed up with 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists, while Pat Connaughton tallied 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Jrue Holiday (heel) was forced to leave the game after just 17 minutes of action and remains questionable for action on Thursday.