NBA: Los Angeles Clippers VS Milwaukee Bucks Pick and Predictions 02/02/2023

Game: 7:30 PM ET,  Thursday, February 2nd, 2023

Venue:  Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

TV: TNT

Clippers: 29-25, 4th place Western Conference

Bucks: 34-17, 2nd place Eastern Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Bucks -4.5, O/U 230.5

PointsBet: Point Spread: Bucks -4, O/U 231.5

Fanduel: Point Spread: Bucks -4, O/U 230

Clippers: PG Terence Mann, SG Paul George, SF Kawhi Leonard, PF Marcus Morris SR, C Ivica Zubac

Bucks: PG Jrue Holiday, SG Grayson Allen, SF Krhis Middleton, PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, C Brook Lopez

An NBA inter conference matchup between the “Ready For Primetime” Players.  Both teams in this battle spent the early part of the season struggling to shine.  They both had the same problem: “health”.  Not just a player here and there missing but KEY guys missing MANY games.  However for both these teams who were betting favorites to go to the Finals (the Bucks were/are 2nd favorite to the Celtics in the East) they have recently added the missing players BACK to the nightly line-up… and they are both winning and both rising to full-fledged contenders.  The Los Angeles Clippers are in the middle of the most dramatic rise… as they have vaulted all the way to 4th place from 8th in a very short time.  The player they got back was… well all of them.  The problem the Clippers had is that SG Paul George, SF Kawhi Leonard, and bench star SG/SF Norman Powell… have spent the last 18 months playing together less frequently than full moons.  They are now all available which drastically changes the starting line-up… AND tales a lot of pressure off of one of the deepest benches in the NBA.  The Milwaukee Bucks spent most of the season (until a week ago) with SF Khris Middleton on the injury list… They still had a top 2-3 guy in the entire league in PF Giannis Antetokounmpo… but everyone needs a pressure valve and Middletons stats in limited minutes since his return are eye-opening to how important he is to winning Bucks basketball.  The great betting opportunity is in deciding if the home court advantage is really worth -4 to -5 points for the Bucks.  It may be?... It also may not be.  Let’s look at the numbers… Oh and if any health mishaps might derail the whole damn thing either way?

The Los Angeles Clippers have won 7 of their last 10 games.  They are on a real rise in the standings and looking to keep that momentum.  They won their last game against the Chicago Bulls 108-103 for a win ATS.  They are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games.  In the win they got 33 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists from SF Kawhi Leonard who seems on a mission lately to re-establish himself as a current all-star who should be reckoned with and not just “what happened to Kawhi?”.  They also got 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists from Mr Do-It-ALL SG Paul George.  The exciting part is of course the 27 points, rebs, and 4 asts from bench stud Norman Powell in 33 minutes.  The Clippers are winning and their formula is finally in action.  The sky is the limit if this keeps up?

The Milwaukee Bucks have won 7 of their last 10 games and are on a 5-game winning streak.  They have only gone 5-5 ATS during that stretch as Charlotte and Denver covered huge, double digit spreads.. Denver had a huge spread because Nikola Jokic was not playing.  In their last win, 124-115 against the Charlotte Hornets, the Bucks got 34 points, 18 REBOUNDS, and 4 assists from Giannis in 35 ½ minutes of play.  Pretty awesome.  They also got 18 points, 3 rebs, and 3 asts from SF Khris Middleton in just 20 minutes!  This team has a clear #2 in Middleton and Middleton may be done with the limited minutes and moving into the actual starting line-up.  That flies directly in the face of “don’t screw with what is working”... but Cest La Vie… The kids have to be ready for the postseason and they will not play the postseason with Middleton off the bench in limited minutes? So now or never.

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The Clippers are 28th in the league in scoring with 110.6 points per game, 14th in rebounds with 43.7 per game.  On defense they are 3rd in defense of points while holding teams to 110.5 points per game.  The problem with the Clippers is the + 0.10 points per game.. They are walking a thin margin to even have a winning record.  However when you get consistent time from both Kawhi and PG-13 together?… you are adding scoring and not compromising defense. It could work.

The Milwaukee Bucks are 17th in scoring with 114.3 points per game, 1st in rebounding with 48.8 per game.  On defense they rank 6th while holding opponents to 111.9 points per game.  They have a really good mix of offense and strong defense.  Both can be thanked to Giannis who does both very very well.

Our prediction for Thursday, February 2nd is….  Bucks 118 - Clippers 116

Bet on the Clippers.  Giannis is listed as Day to Day so if he doesn’t play the Clippers will win outright.  If Giannis does play.. The Bucks will be a defensive team playing against a BETTER defensive team.  Having those 4.5 points in your pocket could easily make you money in a loss.

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The Clippers are 7-1 ATS in the third road game in 7 days this season.

The Clippers are 5 OVER and 1 UNDER when the total is 230 or greater this season.

The Bucks are 11-2 ATS as a home favorite of 6 points or less this season.

Clippers: SG Paul George.  Paul George is on the way up across the statistical board.  He is finally back at his true position of SG… for awhile there the Clippers had to use PG-13 as the Power Forward… but that is fading in memory as Marcus Morris has made his return.  Look for Paul’s stats to be better and better as he throws his big body at smaller 2-guards.

Bucks:  SG Grayson Allen.  Grayson is a good shooter and a bit of a “gamer”.  This kid played with his heart on his sleeve so often that he started to look a bit like a psychopath when he was tripping, kicking, and clotheslining other players. What this psycho can not hide is that Paul George beats him on both offense and defense… which may cause more psychotic behavior.

Clippers: Tye “We are rising” Lue

Bucks: Mike “We never fell off” Budenholzer