Milwaukee Bucks (46-7) vs. Indiana Pacers (31-23)
Date/Time: Wednesday, February 12, 2020 7:30 PM ESPN
The hot Milwaukee Bucks hit the road to face the reeling Indiana Pacers in an Eastern Conference matchup.
On the season Milwaukee is 31-22 ATS with an O/U record of 26-26 and Indiana is 28-25-1 ATS with an O/U record of 29-24.
The Bucks have won five in a row, they have the best record in the NBA, and in their last 15 games they only have a single loss. Milwaukee has won both games facing the Pacers this season and neither game was a close one.
The Pacers have hit the skids as of late, as they are in the midst of a six-game losing streak. they have fallen to the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference and their losing streak began only scoring 85 points in a loss to the lowly New York Knicks.
While the Pacers are 18-10 at home four of the losses in their current losing streak have been at home. The Bucks are 21-4 on the road and that is the second-best road record in the league.
Indiana is led by a defense that ranks ninth in the league in opponents’ ppg and they have a tall task facing the Bucks, who are the highest scoring team in the NBA.
Another Double-Digit Win
In their last game the Bucks were at home and beat the Sacramento Kings 123-111 and in their five-game win streak they have won every game by double digits.
Milwaukee blew it up on the fourth quarter in the win over the Kings outscoring them by 14 points. While they did not shoot the best FG% (44.8%) they held Sacto to 41.6$ shooting. Three starters scored at least 20 points led by Eric Bledsoe and Kris Middleton, who each went for 28 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play in the Kings game with his first child born but he should be back for this game. He is putting up MVP numbers again (30.5 ppg 13.5 rpg) and after totaling 70 points in two games he only scored 18 points in his last game but did have 18 rebounds.
Middleton (20.5 ppg) is the second leading scorer on the team and has totaled 49 points in his last two games.
While Milwaukee is the highest scoring team in the league they only have four players that are averaging in double figures.
Close, But No Cigar
The Pacers almost ended their losing streak in their last game but gave up a 21-foot jumper with five seconds left to lose to the Brooklyn Nets 106-105. Indiana shot a much better FG% in the game (48.9% to 40.2%) but gave up 14 offensive rebounds and only had six and were outscored from the free throw line 24-8.
In the loss to the Nets four of five starters for the Pacers scored in double figures led by Domantas Sabonis with 23 points on 11/15 shooting. He leads the team in scoring and rebounding (18.3 ppg 12.5 rpg) and has four double-doubles in his last five games.
Victor Oladipo (10.8 ppg) has only played six games since coming back from a knee injury and the team needs him to get back to his scoring ways. He averaged 18.8 ppg last season in 36 games before hurting his knee and in the previous season averaged 23.1 ppg.
Our Prediction
The Bucks have covered the spread in every game in their five-game win streak and they have also covered in five of their last six games facing the Pacers.
The Bucks have beaten the Pacers badly twice this season and after this game it will be a third time. The Pacers are struggling and now have to face a fresh Greek Freak, who will go big against them. Milwaukee will easily win this game and cover for their sixth straight win sending the reeling Pacers to their sixth straight loss.