NBA: New Orleans Pelicans VS Milwaukee Bucks Pick and Predictions 01/29/2023

Game: 8:10 PM ET,  Sunday, January 29th, 2023

Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

TV:  NBA League Pass

Pelicans: 26-23, 4th place Western Conference

Bucks: 32-17, 3rd place Eastern Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Bucks -9.5, O/U 233.5

PointsBet: Point Spread:  Bucks -9, O/U 233

Fanduel: Point Spread:  Bucks -9.5, O/U 233.5

Pelicans: SF Brandon Ingram, PF Trey Murphy III, C Jonas Valanciunas, SG CJ McCollum, PG Herbert Jones

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

An NBA inter conference matchup between the 4th place West team and the 3rd place East team… but these teams look miles apart at the moment. The New Orleans Pelicans are suffering through yet more time missed by star PF Zion Williamson.  When he has played he has been great.  He was the most efficient player I may have ever seen at the power forward spot.  But those really high highs are always punctuated by Zion missing games because of a foot or leg problem… at the moment it is a hamstring… What will it be next year?  The truth is this Pelicans team should be big traders at the deadline.  They should be building the ultimate roster AROUND BRANDON INGRAM.. The Pelicans should always prepare as if Zion will never play for them again… That way when he sometimes does? he is just cream on top of a sundae… instead of the missing ice cream when he doesn’t.  The Milwaukee Bucks have a very durable superstar in comparison.  PF Giannis Antetokounmpo not only is the centerpiece of Milkwaukee Bucks… he and Denver Center Nikola Jokic are the centerpieces of the entire league (with Luka Doncic riding up close in third).  The Bucks can win and win and win as long as Giannis has semi capable, mostly healthy NBA starters and depth around them… he has that now.

The New Orleans Pelicans have been taking a beating.  They have only won 2 of their last 10 games and are on a 6-game losing streak. In fact they only beat the Pistons and Wizards during that stretch.  This is a team that needs HELP.  The fact that they are falling so fast and are still in 4tgh place in the Western Conference is a testament to how well they played earlier in the season when they had PF Zion Williamson in uniform.  In their last loss they were beaten by the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-102… CJ McCollum again was a true professional killer as he dropped 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists for the Pelicans.  SF Brandon Ingram had an awful game as he is working his way back from injury… Brandon hit only 4 of 18 field goals while going 0-6 from 3-point land.  A bad night.  His 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists could not make up for his -19 +/- score.  The Pelicans are on the right track if Ingram can recover and CJ can Maintain… but?... If Zion does not play.. They are not ready to compete for real.

The Milwaukee Bucks have won 7 of their last 10 games.  They are on a 3-game winning streak.  They last beat the Indiana Pacers 141-131… which was also a win ATS (as predicted here).  IN the win Giannis dropped 41 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists with 1 steal and 1 block. And as SF Khris Middelton keeps working from the bench with minutes restrictions after recently returning from injury?  He keeps doing damage!  Middleton had 17 points in 15 minutes with 4 rebounds and 4 assists… WOW!  When you also add in PG Jrue Holiday having 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists?... You get a force the Pelicans (or maybe anyone outside of the Celtics) simply can not compete with.

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NOP: 26-23, 24-25 ATS, 27-22 O/U, 9-15 in road games.

MIL: 32-17, 26-21-2, 24-25 O/U, 19-5 in home games.

The Pelicans are 11th in scoring with 115.3 points per game, 8th in rebounds with 44.4 per game, 23th in AST/TO ratio with 1.7, and 21st in blocks with 4.3 per game.

The Bucks are 18th in scoring with 113.6 points per game, 2nd in rebounds with 48.3 per game, 24th in AST/TO ratio with 1.6, and 8th in blocked shots with 5.1 per game.

Our prediction for Sunday, January 29th is…. Bucks 118 - Pelicans 104

Bet on the Bucks…. Even against an inflated spread.  The truth is that with Zion Williamson still not playing because of a hamstring injury the Pelicans are very vulnerable to big time stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo.. Especially when they have a deep roster behind them… which he does.

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Pelicans:  SF Brandon Ingram.  As Brandon works his way back to form he is not very effective, but we all know this is a very talented cornerstone of this team… so we will have to be patient.

Bucks:  SF Khris Middleton. In limited minutes off the bench Middleton is killing every team he sees 15 minutes at a time.  The results are so good that when he gets cleared for 30 minutes?.. The sky's the limit!  

Pelicans:  Willie “when will it stop raining?” Green

Bucks:  Mike  “Do I have anything to do with this?” Budenholzer