There are several teams jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference, with only a couple of games separating five of them in the middle of the pack. The Milwaukee Bucks can climb closer to the Washington Wizards if they can knock them off in a game this week.
Washington has a slightly better record but is missing star point guard John Wall and is playing this game on the road. Therefore, the Bucks will likely be favored to gain a game on the Wizards. The season is winding down and all of these games down the stretch are critical.
The Bucks would benefit greatly from getting this win while Washington would love to pull the upset and stay ahead in the standings.
Don't miss the hardwood action from BMO Harris Bradley Center at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 27, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Tuesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Wizards are 34-25 straight up and 28-31 against the spread. Washington has covered in 18 of 31 attempts on the road this season. It is 14-7 against the spread as the underdog on the year.
Milwaukee is 33-26 straight up and 26-30-3 against the spread. The Bucks have only gone 10-18-2 against the spread at home this season. They are 15-18-2 against the spread as the favorite.
Injury Report
Wall has missed a solid chunk of the season due to a knee injury. He is expected to come back sometime in March. The Wizards have done a nice job of staying afloat without him. Bradley Beal has become the clear go-to guy, averaging 23.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
Even though the Wizards have continued to remain competitive, there’s no doubt they are hoping to get Wall back as quickly as possible. He is a perennial All-Star who is averaging 19.4 points and 9.3 assists per contest.
The Wizards have pulled off three straight wins on the road, knocking off the Bulls, Knicks and the Cavaliers. Washington hopes to keep that road success rolling.
Player To Watch
Giannis Antetokounmpo —The Bucks’ young forward has taken a step to superstardom this season. He has always had outstanding athleticism but has really taken the next step in his fourth year in the NBA.
The “Greek Freak” is averaging 27.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. He is one of the best all-around players in the NBA and is someone the Wizards must be able to keep in check to have a chance to pull off the upset.
Antetokounmpo scored 16 points in the All-Star game and helped his team to a big upset of the Toronto Raptors after that break. The best player in the East is LeBron James but Antetokounmpo is making his case as the second-best in the conference.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Wizards have been solid without Wall even as many thought they would fall off. However, this is a tough matchup for them. Washington’s recent road success will come to an end as the Bucks are the choice to take care of business at home in this game.
However, keep an eye on the spread. It likely won’t be super large, but the Wizards are likely to hang in this one from start to finish. Washington could very well be the right choice against the spread. Both of these teams have been involved in some high-scoring games recently, but they should come back down to normal in this one. Consider the “under” on the total.
NBA Odds: Bucks 105, Wizards 102
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