Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavs Preview-1.17.24
The Milwaukee Bucks Schedule is odd this week. After tonight’s road game the Bucks play Detroit twice, on different nights, in Detroit. (I’m all here for the NBA double header.)
The (28-12) Milwaukee Bucks take on the (23-15) Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday Night in Cleveland, Ohio at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. This is the second time these teams will play this season. Milwaukee won game one of the season series (119-111). That game was also in Cleveland.
The Milwaukee Bucks are the number two seed in the Eastern Conference; Cleveland is the number four seed in the East. They have won 5 in a row. Milwaukee is coming off an exciting game-winner to “reintroduce” Dame-Time.
The Bucks are only 9-8 on the road. Vegas has the Bucks as 4.5 point favorites.
Here is your betting preview, here.
Keys for the Milwaukee Bucks
The Return of Jae Crowder
Crowder is back and ready to play. His presence should, hopefully, give this team a defensive boost. Crowder is an accomplished defender; a big body that is tough to push around on the perimeter.
For Milwaukee the trade deadline may come and go without any moves if Crowder is able to give them a midseason boost they may need.
Before Crowder was hurt he played in 9 games, starting 2. He was averaging about 26 minutes a game so it will be interesting to see who he’ll “steal” minutes from.
Shoot the three well
Something feels so right with the Bucks offense. When it comes down to it, this team can flat out score. Having Damian Lillard there certainly helps. Lillard is shooting a “workmanlike” 37.5% from three.
Plus, his reputation precedes himself. In case you missed it, here is that game winner again.
THIS IS WHAT DAME DOES. ⌚️ pic.twitter.com/zwNfpQxOG0
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 15, 2024
When the Bucks walloped the Thunder they shot 47% from three. When Milwaukee got walloped by Memphis they only shot 26%. If you split the difference at 37%, the Bucks win.
Malik Beasley and AJ Green are Milwaukee’s top two three point shooters by percentage. (48.1% and 42.9%). If they can knock down 4 or 5 threes between them, that’s only going to help.
AJJ (Andre Jackson Jr) has really hit some shots of late. He is shooting at a 39.4% clip.
Related: Game One Preview- Bucks vs Cavs
Make your free throws
Cleveland is a below-average team from the line. (22nd in the NBA-77%). Milwaukee is a better free throw shooting team (15th in the NBA-79%)
If this game ends up coming down to free throws the Bucks have a slight advantage.
The Bucks need to hit their free throws.
The Opponent- The Cavaliers
Cleveland has looked good but not great so far. They have won five in a row. The Cavs are young and streaky. They are 14-8 at home.
It is always good to tinker around with an NBA roster. Look at this year’s surprise team: the Minnesota Timberwolves. Everyone thought pairing Rudy Golbert with Karl Anthony-Towns was never going to work. Now it is. They might win the west.
But for Cleveland it feels like the pairing of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland has run its course. Those two simply might not pair well together. With Garland out the Cavs have played a lot better.
Garland has played well this season, when he has played. He’ll be out tonight after hurting his jaw. He has been sidelined for a month.
Donovan Mitchell has been a star. Mitchell is averaging 28 points per game. He is also averaging around 36 minutes a game and is shooting over 46% from the field. Cleveland gave up a ton to get him.
Together, when they do play, they play “undersized”.
The same goes for their big man tandem. It looks like both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are going to play. They both play “big” meaning they do a good job of rebounding and protecting the rim.
The Cavs grabbed Max Struss from the Heat. He has been playing well of late and averages 14 points a game.
Related: “Ham-Slamwhich”: Should the Bucks Bring Back Darvin Ham
Things to tell your buddies while you’re watching the game
- Mark Price, the famous Cavaliers player, retired recently from coaching. He was the Head Coach for the Charlotte 49er’s, an NCAA D1 team in the American Conference.
- Brook Lopez is second in the NBA in blocks per game (2.9).
- Milwaukee leads the all-time series 131-99.
- The Bucks are second in the NBA in scoring (125.2). Cleveland is 23rd (112.2). I’d still take the over.
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