The Blazers are simply hot right now. They are riding a three-game win streak after hurdling Chicago on Monday, 112-110.
Portland’s offense is proving to be too much for its opponents of late. The team is averaging 114.0 points during the last three games. On the season, the Blazers are generating 110.3 PPG, easily top five in the NBA. Of course, the bulk of the Blazers’ point production comes from the dynamic backcourt tandem of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, who score 27.9 PPG and 22.0 PPG, respectively. Together, they put up 54 points on a combined 21-for-43 shooting from the field in the Chicago game.
Portland’s backcourt is the best in the NBA in terms of scoring with its guards averaging 61.1 PPG per hoopstats.
Portland must be looking to engage Milwaukee in an outside shooting contest. The Blazers, who went 9-for-23 from beyond the arc against Chicago, is sixth in the league with 11.0 threes made per game.
Portland is 3-1 ATS in its last four games overall.
It was a nice run but the Bucks’ four-game win streak ended on Monday, when they succumbed to San Antonio at home, 97-96.
Jabari Parker led the Bucks with 23 points to go with eight boards and three assists while versatile athletic freak Giannis Antetokounmpo added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Unlike the Blazers, Milwaukee doesn’t have high-scoring guards but it has excellent wings that Portland might find hard to matchup with later tonight. Antetokounmpo paces the team with 22.4 PPG while Parker is second with 18.8 PPG.
Milwaukee also seems to have the penchant of slowing down opposing backcourts, which would be crucial in their bounce back quest later tonight against the guard-centric Portland. The Bucks are allowing just 41.8 PPG to opposing guards, seventh fewest in the league.
The Bucks will also try to exploit Portland’s soft interior defense that allows 46.3 PPG, fifth most in the NBA. Conversely, the Bucks are second overall with 48.9 PITP.
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU and ATS in its last five home games against Portland.
