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| (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) |
Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 10-8, sixth in the Eastern Conference
Offense: 99.8 offensive rating (24th)
Defense: 100.1 defensive rating (7th)
Net rating: -0.3 (16th)
| Probable Starters | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Knight | 17.0 | 4.7 | 5.9 |
| O.J. Mayo | 10.8 | 2.3 | 3.2 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 11.9 | 5.9 | 1.9 |
| Jabari Parker | 11.9 | 6.1 | 1.7 |
| Larry Sanders | 7.2 | 6.6 | 0.8 |
The Good
- For as bad as the Bucks were just a year ago, they have been a quiet surprise so far this season thanks in part to their ability to defend. They a lot of length, but they way they use it might be different than you expected. Turnovers are what make them a good defensive team, forcing 16.6 of them per game, third in the league. They have four guys that get at least a steal per game, and just like the Cavaliers have done recently, are turning them into points on the other, netting 18.6 points off of the turnovers they force. We've seen the Cavaliers struggle with keeping possession, and if they struggle with that again tonight, Milwaukee could steal one in Cleveland.
- That length they possess also helps them on the offensive end, where they rank seventh in offensive rebounding percentage and ninth in offensive rebounds per game. They aren't great at capitalizing on those opportunities (12th in second chance points), but can hurt any team if they get easy put-backs after missed shots. The Cavaliers are one of the better teams in the league at limiting second and third opportunities, but with the length we talked about that the Bucks have, the less shots they can give up in the paint, the better.
- If you haven't seen Giannis Antetokounmpo play yet, you really are missing out. He is virtually a mini-Kevin Durant: tall and long, but with the skill set of a guard. Just in the last week, he euro-stepped from the 3-point line into the lane for an easy finish not once, but twice! His upside is limitless, and if is able to maximize his potential, he could be one of the best players in the league for years to come.
- If you haven't seen Giannis Antetokounmpo play yet, you really are missing out. He is virtually a mini-Kevin Durant: tall and long, but with the skill set of a guard. Just in the last week, he euro-stepped from the 3-point line into the lane for an easy finish not once, but twice! His upside is limitless, and if is able to maximize his potential, he could be one of the best players in the league for years to come.
The Bad
- If you're looking for a shootout, you've came to the wrong game to watch. The Bucks rank in the bottom of the league in offensive rating, effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage. With the way the Cavaliers have looked recently, they've shown that it doesn't matter how good their opponent's defense is, it's all about the offense. Orlando, Washington and Indiana all can attest that, as they all rank in the top-15 in defensive rating, but it was their lack of offense that allowed them to get blown out. If the Milwaukee wants to win, they have to rely more on their offense, which they frankly are not good enough at to out-score one of the top offensive teams in the league.
- You would think for as good as they at rebounding the ball offensively, they would be just as good at defensive rebounding, right? Wrong. The Bucks rank 28th in defensive rebounding percentage and allow 12.0 offensive rebounds per game to their opponents, 27th in the NBA. The worst thing you can do against a very good offensive team is give them second chance opportunities, which will be the task for head coach Jason Kidd and the rest of the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Match-up to Watch
LeBron James vs. Jabari Parker
A classic match-up of the present against the future. James is considered the best player in the NBA, while many predict Parker to become one of the best players in the league. Just like James, Parker was touted as one of the best recruits of all-time and most likely would have been the No. 1 overall pick if it weren't Cleveland that had that spot. Parker has struggled so far in his first season, and we'll see tonight how he fares against one of the league's best at his position.
The Number
16th
That's where Cleveland currently stands in defensive ranking, a number many thought they would not reach this early in the season, especially after how they looked during their four-game losing streak. If the Cavaliers can stay around this number, or potentially creep up the rankings near the top-10, then they will have a realistic shot of not only making the NBA finals, but winning the championship.
The Playlist
Welcome to Milwaukee: a city that lacks musical star power and gives us another difficult playlist selection. I'm gonna make this easier for all of us and just use the Bucks moniker for our playlist:
Why Cleveland will win:
It looks as if everything is rolling for the Cavaliers; Kevin Love is starting play like his All-Star form, LeBron and Kyrie Irving are finding their chemistry and the defense has been good enough. The defense should continue to get better facing a Bucks offense that is lackluster at best, and expect the offense to be too much for the Bucks solid defense to handle.
Why Milwaukee will win:
If there is one thing that Cleveland tends to struggle with, turnovers are that. They've averaged 5.6 more turnovers per game in losses compared to wins. Just look at the Toronto and the first Washington game, where the Cavaliers had a combined 37 turnovers in two blowout losses. As we noted above, Milwaukee is one of the best at forcing turnovers, and will be the key if they want to win in Cleveland.
The Prediction
Cleveland 102, Milwaukee 90
The last time the Cavaliers had a three-game winning streak, they lost the next game at home to a winnable opponent. I don't expect that to happen again, with the difference being how well they've played defensively. During their last winning streak, the defense was still suspect. Unless they relapse mightily against a bad Bucks offense, expect the Cavaliers roll to their fourth straight win.
