Tip off: 7 PM EST
Spread: MIL -7
Total: 204
M/L: MIL -300; WAS +250
Milwaukee
Things got a lot more exciting in Milwaukee when they dealt an injured Andrew Bogut for Monta Ellis. Ellis is quietly one of the best shooting guards in the league, and his game is anything but quiet. Pairing Ellis with Brandon Jennings legitimately gives the Bucks one of the best backcourts in the league.
And that’s not even to mention the emergence of Ersan Ilyasova. The Turkish power forward has gone from obscurity to nearly superstar like play seemingly overnight, but those who caught some of the 2010 World Championships in Turkey aren’t surprised. Ilyasova was inconsistent in that tournament, but showed flashes of what he could become as an NBA player and he is the main reason Bogut became so expendable.
The Bucks sit only 2.5 games out of the Playoffs and they’ve won 6 of their past 10. While making the 8th seed is a likely death sentence to the Chicago Bulls, making the playoffs may incite some more fans to at least hold “FEAR THE DEER” signs again.
Bucks Betting Trends:
The Bucks are 25-26 ATS this season and 12-10 ATS as a favorite. They are 5-9 ATS vs. Southeastern Division opponents and they are 1-0 ATS in games as a favorite between 6 and 9.5 points. They are 2-0 ATS vs poor defensive teams (allowing 99+ ppg).
Washington
Things couldn’t be much worse for the Wizards, and truth be told, they couldn’t win the NCAA championship…and might lose the NIT too.
They have failed to surround John Wall with talent, and dealing the emerging and young JaVale McGee for an aging Nene made very little sense. Then, there is the issue of Andray Blatche, who has taken the world underachiever to an entirely new level. His athleticism and flashes of brilliance are there, but then he lapses and disappears. If the Wizards are ever going to go anywhere, they need more from Blatche and have to get Wall some help.
Wizards Betting Trends:
The Wizards are 20-31 ATS this season and 17-25 ATS as an underdog. They are 9-16 ATS in home game sand 13-17 ATS in the second half of the season. They are 9-14 ATS vs teams with losing records.
