3rd quarter report
After a tough road loss in their last outing, the Bucks looked much better today on their home court. They have a bit of a lead as they currently lead the Wizards 86-72.
If the Bucks continue to play like this, they will reach their 15-12 record in no time. On the other hand, the Wizards will have to settle for a 4-22 record unless they turn things around (and quickly).
Who’s playing
Washington Wizards @ Milwaukee Bucks
Current records: Washington 4-21, Milwaukee 14-12
How to watch
- When: Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Or: Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- TV: FanDuel SN – Wisconsin
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $15.00
What you need to know
The Bucks will play the full four quarters on Saturday, but they should have things finished well before that. After playing yesterday, they will return immediately and host the Washington Wizards at 8:00 p.m. ET at Fiserv Forum. The Bucks might want some stickum for this one since the team gave up 20 turnovers on Friday.
The Bucks are likely heading into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering the Cavaliers just ended the team’s four-game winning streak on Friday. Their bruising 124-101 loss to Cleveland could stay with them for a while. Milwaukee recently struggled against Cleveland, as it was their fourth straight loss.
The losing team was bolstered by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had a double-double with 33 points and 14 rebounds. His night made it 11 straight games in which he scored at least 30 points.
Meanwhile, the Wizards can finally say goodbye to their three-game losing streak thanks to their game on Thursday. They came away with a 123-114 victory over the Hornets.
The Wizards’ success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Malcolm Brogdon led the charge by scoring 8 of 13 en route to 25 points and six assists. The team also received help from Jordan Poole, who scored 27 points along with two steals and two blocks.
The Wizards worked as a unit and finished the game with 33 assists. This is the most assists they have posted since April.
Milwaukee’s loss dropped its record to 14-12. As for Washington, its victory brought its record to 4-21.
Keep an eye on the arc in Saturday’s game: The Bucks have been dynamite from deep this season, making 38.8 percent of their threes per game. It’s a different story for the Wizards, as they’ve made just 31.8 percent of their threes this season. Given the Bucks’ considerable advantage in this area, the Wizards will need to find a way to close this gap.
The Bucks beat the Wizards 124-114 in their previous meeting in November. Will the Bucks repeat their success, or will the Wizards have a better game plan this time around? We’ll know soon enough.
Odds
Milwaukee is big favorite with 12 points against Washington, according to the latest NBA Odds.
Oddsmakers had a good idea of ​​the line for this one, as the game opened with the Bucks as 11-point favorites.
The over/under is 224.5 points.
See NBA Pick for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Milwaukee has won 8 of its last 10 games against Washington.
- November 30, 2024 – Milwaukee 124 vs. Washington 114
- April 2, 2024 – Washington 117 vs. Milwaukee 113
- November 24, 2023 – Milwaukee 131 vs. Washington 128
- November 20, 2023 – Milwaukee 142 vs. Washington 129
- April 4, 2023 – Milwaukee 140 vs. Washington 128
- March 5, 2023 – Milwaukee 117 vs. Washington 111
- January 3, 2023 – Milwaukee 123 vs. Washington 113
- January 1, 2023 – Washington 118 vs. Milwaukee 95
- March 24, 2022 – Milwaukee 114 vs. Washington 102
- February 1, 2022 – Milwaukee 112 vs. Washington 98
