The Road Trip Continues
The (33-16) Milwaukee Bucks take on the (24-26) Utah Jazz on Sunday Night on the road. The Jazz play at the Delta Center (Delta Airlines). Milwaukee is on a back-to-back, having won last night in Dallas (129-117). Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 48 points.
The Bucks are 12-11 on the road.
The Jazz have been a team that tends to win against inferior competition. They have won two in a row, defeating Washington and Charlotte. Before that they lost three in a row.
Vegas has the Bucks at a 39% chance to win and 3-point underdogs.
This is the last time these teams will meet this season unless they face off in the NBA Finals.
Related: Game One Jazz vs Bucks Preview
Milwaukee Bucks Key to Win
Keep Scoring Points
The Bucks are 2nd in the NBA in scoring (124.0 points per game). Defensively they give up around 119 points per game, hence this sense that the defense isn’t very good.
In terms of field goal percentage Milwaukee is 3rd overall in the NBA (49.8%).
Free throw shooting is looking like a weaker shooting spot for this team. Milwaukee is 17th in the NBA in terms of team free throw shooting (78%).
Against the Mavericks Giannis and Dame went for 78 points. The team won but it’d be better to spread out their offensive production.
Milwaukee averages over 60.8 points in the first half in games this year. That’s 4th in the NBA.
Tonight Milwaukee needs to keep scoring. Milwaukee could use a big game from Bobby Portis.
Box-Out (Rebound the Ball)
The game against Houston and San Antonio had guys just slapping at the ball. Milwaukee only managed 37 rebounds against the Rockets. Against the Jazz, who are an excellent rebounding team (3rd in the NBA), Milwaukee better hit that glass.
Right now Milwaukee is 11th in the NBA (44.3) in team rebounding.
There is close to a two-rebound per game difference in home games vs road games for Milwaukee. For Milwaukee to win this game, they’ll need to be at/above that 50 rebound number.
The Opponent: Utah Jazz
The Jazz are run by NBA executive Danny Ainge. It’ll be interesting to see if they look to acquire anyone before the NBA trade deadline. After dealing center Rudy Gobert and star guard Donovan Mitchell last season, the team has undergone quite a transformation.
At (24-26) the Jazz feel right about where they should be. Rebuilding.
Their new leading scorer came over in the Mitchell trade. Lauri Markkanen is having an awesome year. He is long and rangy and can score. (23.6) The Jazz also got three unprotected first round picks in the deal.
Collin Sexton is also playing well. Sexton, along with Jordan Clarkson, man the point guard position for the Jazz.
John Collins is the power forward for Utah. He is strong and can rebound but has the reputation as someone who could be traded at a moment’s notice because of his hefty contract.
Talen Horton-Tucker has flown under the NBA radar, but he is also having a nice season. The former Laker adds some nice depth to a team that has a strong bench.
Things to tell your buddies as you’re watching the game
- Ryan Smith owns the Utah Jazz. He created Qualtrics, which is worth over $8 billion.
- It is hard to not play the Jazz and skip over the infamous Stockton/Malone connection. John Stockton leads the NBA, all-time, with 15,806 assists. In second place is Jason Kidd.
- Both Giannis and Damian Lillard will start for the Eastern Conference in the upcoming NBA all-star game.
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