The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to keep their hot streak alive as they host a badly banged-up Dallas Mavericks squad tonight at 8 p.m. ET at Fiserv Forum.
Milwaukee enters as heavy 10.5-point favorites, and it’s easy to see why. The Bucks have been on fire lately, winning 8 of their last 10 games while putting up nearly 117 points per game.
The Mavericks? They’re dealing with what might be the worst injury situation in the NBA right now.
The biggest blow came just two days ago when Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending torn ACL against Sacramento. That’s on top of losing Luka Doncic in their earlier trade to the Lakers, and Anthony Davis is now out with a thigh injury that could keep him sidelined for the rest of the year.
But wait, there’s more.
Dallas is also missing Dante Exum, P.J. Washington, Jaden Hardy, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II – all ruled out for tonight’s game. Caleb Martin might not play either, as he’s dealing with a hip issue.
The Bucks, meanwhile, are mostly healthy with only Pat Connaughton questionable with a calf problem.
These teams just met on Saturday, with Milwaukee cruising to a 132-117 win in Dallas. Giannis Antetokounmpo nearly had a triple-double with 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Damian Lillard chipped in 28 points.
The Mavs have been struggling on the road all season, going just 13-17 away from home. They’ve also lost their last five games against Milwaukee.
The numbers tell the story: Milwaukee is shooting 47.2% from the floor in their last 10 games, while Dallas has managed just 45.6%.
Milwaukee’s home court advantage has been real this season – they’re 21-9 at Fiserv Forum. The Bucks have also been dominant on Wednesdays, winning 8 of their last 9 games played on that day.
According to ESPN’s stats wizards, the Bucks have an 82% chance of winning tonight. Given Dallas’s injury woes and Milwaukee’s recent form, that might even be conservative.
