You will not see many other matchups across the league this season with a disparity such as the one you’ll see when the New York Knicks travel to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. New York has gone 2-0 against the Mavericks but is just 2-17 against the rest of the NBA, with wins against the Bulls and the Cavaliers. This is a team that has only won 21 out of 102 games under coach David Fizdale, and it really does not have too much to work with. Injuries are not to blame for the start they have gotten off to.
Milwaukee, on the other hand, could not be playing a more perfect brand of basketball. Giannis Antetokounmpo is effectively building off his MVP campaign, and the team is rattling off win after win. The Bucks did that even without All-Star Khris Middleton for a few weeks. They have plugged Wesley Matthews and Donte DiVincenzo in place of the departed Malcolm Brogdon, and nobody seems to be missing a step. Brook Lopez was out last game, so twin brother Robin stepped in and played a fantastic game. It is all going right in Wisconsin.
The Bucks find themselves as a scintillating 16.5-point favorite for Monday night’s contest. The over/under is set at 221.5.
Looking For An Upset Win
In a year where there have already been four times as many losses as wins for the Knicks, things seem very bleak. But they have a chance against the Bucks to show oddsmakers that they do not belong in any game as a 16.5-point underdog. Marcus Morris leads the way, averaging around 19 points per game, though he sat out against Boston Sunday with a neck injury. Unfortunately, Frank Ntilikina, who has been playing tremendously on the defensive end this year, will probably miss this game with a back injury. A heavy dose of Dennis Smith Jr. is likely the result.
Rookie RJ Barrett has not been bad for the Knicks, but he certainly has not exactly impressed too much. Also, Mitchell Robinson has regressed as his role has shockingly shrunk in a big way after a dominant rookie season.
Continuing To Roll
The Bucks have not been able to be stopped this year, as Mike Budenholzer’s bunch taking care of the competition with extreme effectiveness. They have brought Middleton along slowly post-injury, as he has come off the bench for the last few games, so we’ll see if Monday night may be the evening in which he comes back to the starting unit. The team has gotten solid play out of several different guards, so there is no rush, although, in the big picture, he’ll need to be in there. Giannis has become an elite rebounder this season, averaging 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks. He is unreal.
Milwaukee does not have a player making more than threes per game, but it has over nine guys averaging a shade under that number. There are plenty of knockdown shooters on the Bucks.
Milwaukee Takes Care Of Business
This will be an easy win for the Bucks, as they blow the Knicks out of the building.
Free Play: MIL -16.5
