The Milwaukee Bucks are well on their way to finishing as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee has a 6.5-game lead over defending champion Toronto as of Monday morning, and the Bucks have yet to lose a game to a Central Division foe. They will take a sizable lead into All-Star Weekend, and anything other than finishing atop the conference by the end of the season would be a stunner for a team that is 28-3 against Eastern Conference opponents. The Bucks will take on the Indiana Pacers this Wednesday in their final game before the All-Star Break.
This game will take place at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on February 12, 2020, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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Head-To-Head Results to Date
Milwaukee hammered Indiana in each of the two previous games between these division foes. In mid-November, the Bucks beat the Pacers 102-83 as Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee in points, rebounds, and assists. Indiana was completely shut down from the field, hitting just 32 percent of its field goals, as Domantas Sabonis and T.J. Warren both had rough outings. The second meeting saw Milwaukee run away from Indiana in the second half. The Bucks were up 59-55 in the first half, but they outscored the Pacers 58-34 in the second half to turn the final score into a laugher. Antetokounmpo nearly registered a triple double as the Bucks spoiled former teammate Malcolm Brogdon’s return to Milwaukee.
Injury Report
There are no injuries to report for Indiana as of Monday morning. Victor Oladipo just returned from injury in late January though, and the team is still being careful with its star guard.
The Greek Freak might sit out of Monday night’s game against Sacramento because of personal reasons, but he is expected to be available on Wednesday. George Hill is optimistic that he can return to the court too after missing the last two weeks due to a hamstring injury.
Player to Watch
Oladipo has not been as explosive as he was since suffering a ruptured quad tendon last January. At that point, Indiana was one of the top teams in the East, but his absence kept this team from doing any damage in the postseason. The Pacers are hoping that he can give them the offensive weapon they need to really compete with the Bucks and Raptors for supremacy in the conference, but his shooting hasn’t been there since returning to action. Oladipo is hitting just 28.1 percent of his field goals in five games and 21.2 percent of his threes. Additionally, he has yet to make an impact in other areas, pulling down 1.4 RPG and 2.6 APG.
Game Preview
Milwaukee will be favored on the road against Indiana this Wednesday night. The Pacers have lost five straight games heading into their clash with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, and this team has had some issues shooting over the last two weeks. Indiana doesn’t have a proven scorer that can take over like Milwaukee, while Milwaukee is flourishing as Giannis is making everyone around him better. Khris Middleton is having a nice season, averaging 20.4 PPG, and rotation players like Hill and Donte DiVincenzo are stepping up for the Bucks.
Prediction
Given what we have seen the last two times these teams met on the court, it’s hard to go against Milwaukee. The Bucks have held the Pacers to less than 90 points in their last two games, as the perimeter defense has been superb. Indiana doesn’t have anyone that can slow down Antetokounmpo with his athleticism, so take the Bucks on Wednesday night.
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