NBA: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Washington Wizards Preview, Odds, Prediction

The Milwaukee Bucks fly to DC to meet the Washington Wizards, who have been pretty good lately. The hosts have six wins and three defeats, surpassing all the expectations. Wes Unseld Jr. has done a good job, and we just might see the Wizards in the playoffs again, maybe even taking a step further compared to the previous year. That is if they keep it up at this pace. On the other side, the champions are in huge problems, having several of its starters out due to injuries, which reflected the results massively.

Preview

Milwaukee Bucks (4-5, -150) lost four in the past five, all of them at home, which is very strange. But when you look at the overall situation, all those injuries and absences have taken a toll on the Bucks, who simply couldn’t do any better. Of course, there is some “champoionship hangover” involved, but that is reasonable.

Their last game was against the Knicks at Fiserv Forum, and the guests from the Big Apple took that one, 113-98. The hosts had a 21-point lead early on, solving the first period in their favor with a 38-19 result. But in each of the next three periods, the Knicks were better, and their defense was decreasing the rival’s efficiency.

Milwaukee was heavily outrebounded, 37-59, and the guest’s dominance under and around the rim had another proof – points in the paint. The Knicks had 54 buckets and the hosts 28. Giannis had 25 points, Grayson Allen added 22, but there weren’t any other players to help them.

Washington Wizards (6-3, +125) recovered from back-to-back losses, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies at home, 115-87. To be honest, we’ve expected more from the Grizzlies, and a much closer battle, but the Wizards have been excellent, solving this event in the middle quarters.

A versatile attack is something we always mention when talking about Washington. Unseld Jr. has done an excellent job fitting in all the newcomers and finding each of them a good role.

All five starters were above 10 points, plus Montrezl Harrell and Raul Neto off the bench. Harrell scored 18 points, Bradley Beal 17, Neto and Gafford 15, and Dinwiddie and Caldwell-Pope 12. Very balanced and diverse you need to admit. Plus, the hosts’ shooting percentage was amazing – at 58.3%.

Head to Head Games

The Bucks have eight straight wins over the Wizards, winning all three last year with very high efficiency. The results of those events were 125-119 and 133-122 in Milwaukee, and 135-134 in DC. Though, the situation changed now, with Washington’s roster looking completely different than back then.

Prediction

The time has come to see the Bucks’ victorious streak against the Wizards coming to an end. Right now, without Middleton and Lopez, and with Holiday who isn’t 100% ready, Milwaukee’s chances aren’t good at all. Washington is in good shape, and the last match has been the best proof for that claim. Having two starters out, plus Holiday’s questionable fitness, forces us to back up the Wizards. Simply, Milwaukee won’t be able to cover all the backcourt threats, and that is the main reason for this pick.

Pick: Wizards +3