The Bucks head to Dallas tonight as 3.5-point favorites, looking to build on their recent hot streak against a Mavericks team dealing with some serious injury problems.
Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center.
Milwaukee’s been playing really well lately, winning 7 of their last 10 games. They’re coming off an impressive 121-112 win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, where Giannis showed why he’s still one of the NBA’s most dominant players – putting up 28 points and grabbing 19 rebounds.
Brook Lopez added 22 points in that victory, which handed Denver just their second loss in 12 games.
The Mavericks are in a tough spot right now. They’re missing pretty much their entire frontcourt – Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II are all out with injuries. That’s going to make dealing with Giannis and Lopez a real challenge.
Dallas has actually been holding their own despite the injuries, going 4-3 since Davis went down. They’re sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference.
The Mavs did something pretty rare in their last game – they held the Charlotte Hornets under 100 points in a 103-96 win. It was the first time they’d kept an opponent below 100 since mid-January.
Some key stats heading into tonight:
– The Bucks are 12-16 on the road this season
– Dallas is 19-11 at home
– Milwaukee’s won 5 of their last 6 against the Mavericks
– The Mavs are 9-3 in their last 12 Saturday games
The Bucks might be without Pat Connaughton (calf), while Damian Lillard and Giannis are listed as probable with minor injuries. For Dallas, Caleb Martin is out and P.J. Washington is questionable.
Vegas oddsmakers have Milwaukee as slight favorites, and ESPN’s stats team gives them a 52.6% chance of winning this one.
With Dallas so short-handed up front, this could be a chance for Giannis and the Bucks to take advantage. But the Mavs have been surprisingly resilient through their injury troubles – it should be an interesting one to watch.
