The 2019-20 NBA regular season is coming to a close, but there are still plenty of things that need to be decided. The Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks are set to meet up on Saturday, and playoff seeding is still up in the air for Dallas.
Milwaukee will be the number one overall seed in the Eastern Conference, but they have struggled a bit so far during the restart. Dallas is trying to win the Northwest Division, but they still trail the Denver Nuggets by 2.0 games entering this game.
Both teams have a ton of young superstars on their roster, but defense should decide the outcome. The Milwaukee Bucks are listed as 4.5-point favorites over the Dallas Mavericks in this showdown on Saturday.
Bucks Finding Groove in Orlando
The Bucks have had mixed results so far in Orlando, but their most recent game looked like Mike Budenholzer’s team is ready to make a run towards the Finals. Milwaukee defeated the Miami Heat by a score of 130-116 earlier this week, and their offense looked almost unstoppable at times in this game.
Reigning NBA MVP, Giannis Antetokoumpo has played like an All-Star so far in Orlando, and he looks ready to lead his team to an NBA Title. Antetokoumpo is averaging close to 30 points per game this season and also leads the team in both assists and rebounds.
Milwaukee does give up a ton of points, and their defense has not improved since the restart in Orlando. The Bucks must find a way to give the “Greek Freak” some support if they want to win this game.
Defense an Issue For Mavs
The Dallas Mavericks can score the basketball, but their defense has been an issue all season. That hasn’t changed since the restart in Orlando, and defense will have a test against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Dallas just gave up 126 points in their most recent loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, and they have given up almost 112 points per game this season. Milwaukee can score, and Dallas will need to tighten up on that end of the floor if they want to win this game.
Luka Doncic has emerged as one of the top players in the NBA, and he has been sharp during the most recent games in Orlando. Doncic is averaging 29 points and 8.8 assists per game this season, and he is capable of carrying the Mavericks to a win in this game.
Bucks Prepare for Playoffs With Win
In a typical season, the Milwaukee Bucks might be resting their key players to prepare for a deep playoff stay. Since the season was cut short by almost three months, Milwaukee uses this time to get set or the playoffs.
Milwaukee has been a bit inconsistent so far in Orlando, but that has been the case for several title contenders. Dallas has struggled since the restart as well, and they look like a team that is just trying to survive.
Milwaukee is the highest-scoring team in the NBA this season, and they should have a big day against a bad Dallas defense. The Mavericks don’t mind playing in high-scoring affairs, but they don’t have the weapons to keep up in this game.
Saturday’s tilt could be one of the highest-scoring and most entertaining games of the restart, and that type of meeting favors the Bucks. Milwaukee is simply too explosive on the offensive end of the floor, and Dallas can’t keep up with their scoring.
Bet the Milwaukee Bucks -4.5 over the Dallas Mavericks in this NBA showdown on Saturday.
