The Milwaukee Bucks will be looking to take a fourth straight win over the Orlando Magic in Tuesday’s game. They are currently 22-13 in the regular season. The Orlando Magic, however, is having a rough time this season, sitting at 7-27 and coming off a 10 point loss against the Miami Heat.
A Healthy Bucks
The Bucks are looking great right now, with next to no injuries coming into this game, they’ll have their big three playing on the floor today, Giannis Antentokounmpo, Kris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. While Brook Lopez is still out for today’s game, they haven’t had him for most of the season anyway, and it shouldn’t pose a problem. Additionally, the Bucks have added Demarcus Cousins into the mix who scored 9 points against the Celtics with a 40 FG% and 22 points against the Mavericks.
The Bucks will be coming into this game with confidence, as they just beat a solid Celtics and will be playing Orlando, a team with one of the worst records in the league. Orlando hasn’t booked a single win against the Bucks in the last 2 meetings, and this game shouldn’t be any different. The Magic will be at a crippling disadvantage, coming into this game as the third-worst scoring team in the league against the 7th best scoring team in the league.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is someone who is a major contributor in all the games he has played in. There currently isn’t an answer to his size and playstyle, and there doesn’t look to be anyone on the Magic that will stop him today.
Defensively, the Bucks are able to force 14.0 turnovers per game and draw 17.5 personal fouls. They are also allowing an opponent FG percentage of 43.9% and have surrendered an average of 45.0 rebounds as a team. As for 3 pointers, they are conceding 33.7% of shots.
Orlando In Shambles
The Magic will already be coming into the matchup as the less talented team and was the same thing going into Sunday’s game versus Miami.
The Magic are making constant mistakes, if they hope to beat better teams, they need to fix their turnovers. In their last game alone, they gave up possession 18 times but made up for it in the form of 6 steals. That being said, the Magic are missing a lot of key contributors like the top scorer Cole Anthony, Terrance Ross, Mo Bamba, Jalen Suggs, and Chuma Okeke due to COVID regulations and injuries.
The PPG has been horrible all season, and it’s not going to get any better with multiple key players sitting out this game, especially like a team like the Bucks. Their hope for this game is for the Bucks to make multiple mistakes, including missing shots, turnovers, and committing fouls, and avoiding as many turnovers as their game against Miami. It isn’t impossible for them to win, but it is a long shot.
Final Thoughts
On paper, Orlando should get destroyed.
It’s unfortunate that they’re playing against a healthy, in-form, Bucks team. The Magic are considered a team that struggles, even when everyone is healthy. It’s even worse now when half the roster is sitting out for this game.
Considering the Bucks already beat the Magic twice this season, this game should make it three. Orlando won’t have an answer to Giannis in the paint and doesn’t have the defensive capability to stop anyone on the Bucks.
Looking at the current state of the Orlando team, it’s hard to predict that they’ll even come close to winning. They’ve only won two home games this season and tonight, they’ll be playing one of the best teams in the league.
Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks to win money line and to cover the spread (-10.5)