It’s been a long time since anyone’s feared the deer, but the Milwaukee Bucks are looking a little scary right now. The Bucks have won a season-high five games in a row, using their lockdown defense to move into the sixth seed in the East. The Bucks travel to Texas this Friday as they try to take down a Rockets team that has thrived even without Dwight Howard.
Can the deer steer clear of any problems in Houston? Read on below for our complete preview. And for more of Friday’s hoops action, check out our preview of the Pelicans vs. Thunder.
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Milwaukee Bucks vs. Houston Rockets Betting Preview
Where: Toyota Center, Houston
When: Friday, February 6, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Milwaukee Bucks (+6.5) at Houston Rockets (-6.5); total 204.5 — view all NBA lines
Betting on the Milwaukee Bucks
Time to fear the deer? The Milwaukee Bucks (27-22) are on a roll, with five straight wins and six wins in seven, catapulting them up to sixth in the Eastern Conference. Prior to their close 113-105 overtime win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, the Bucks had also covered in six consecutive games.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Khris Middleton has emerged as an unlikely offensive leader for the Bucks. Middleton has averaged 18 points and has shot 60 percent from the field in his last seven games. The Bucks have been a very balanced attack, with seven players averaging close to 11 points or more during that stretch. Four Bucks scored 20 or more points against the Lakers.
The Bucks have improved on offense recently, from 98.7 points per game on the season to 101.4 over the last seven. While their offense took some time to gain steam, their defense has been good all season long. The Bucks have given up 96.7 points per game (fourth in the NBA) this season but when adjusted for pace, they’re actually second only to the league-leading Golden State Warriors in terms of defensive efficiency.
The Bucks’ versatility and disciple on defense, especially against the pick and roll, should help them limit the effectiveness of James Harden and the Rockets’ pick-and-roll heavy attack. They’ve also been very good at closing down on three-point shooters, allowing opponents to shoot just 32 percent from beyond the arc this season.
The Houston Rockets (34-15), for some reason, sure do play well without Dwight Howard. With their 101-90 win over the suddenly-struggling Chicago Bulls, the Rockets are 5-1 in their last six games, all of which Howard has sat out with a knee problem. Houston is now 13-5 overall this season without its All-Star big man.
James Harden hit his season average of 27 points in their win over the Bulls, while Donatas Motiejunas continued his fine play with 15 points and 10 rebounds. D-Mo has scored 15 or more points in five of his six games without Howard.
Harden and D-Mo have been fairly consistent, but the Rockets’ supporting cast will need to come up big as they go up against a very good Bucks defense. Trevor Ariza and Josh Smith have stepped up in recent games, with at least one of the two scoring 15 or more points in the last four games.
Similar to the Bucks, the Rockets also have serious length across all positions, which has helped them maintain a 98.2 defensive efficiency in the last six games (sixth in the NBA during that stretch) even without their rim protector, Howard.
Expect the Rockets to match the Bucks on the defensive end, while Harden does what no other Buck can do as well: break down the defense and take the game over on offense.
Writer’s Prediction
The Rockets edge it out at home, but the Bucks keeps it close until the end. Take Milwaukee (+6.5) to cover on the road.
