The Charlotte Hornets will face the Milwaukee Bucks on February 27 (Tuesday) at the Fiserv Forum. This will be the third matchup between the two teams, with the Bucks winning the previous two. The Hornets are currently in 13th place in the Eastern Conference with a 15-42 record. They are coming off a 93-80 win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Bucks are currently in third place in the East. They are coming off a 119-98 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Preview
The Hornets have improved recently, winning five of their last six contests. On offense, they are 28th in scoring, 27th in field goal shooting, and 17th in 3-point shooting. They are 23rd in passing defense, 27th in field goal defense and 25th in 3-point defense. Additionally, they ranked 29th in the league in total rebounds per game.
Meanwhile, the Bucks have won consecutive games since the All-Star break ended and are second in scoring this season. They are fifth in field goal shooting and eighth in 3-point shooting. They rank fifth in 3-point field goals made per game. The Bucks’ star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is expected to break down the Hornets’ defense with ease, especially due to Charlotte’s lack of rim protection. Lillard’s ability to stretch the defense is expected to open up more scoring opportunities inside for Giannis.
Starting lineup
The Hornets are expected to start with Trey Mann, Cody Martin, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Nick Richards. Meanwhile, the Bucks are expected to start with Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley, Jae Crowder, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.
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Prediction
The Milwaukee Bucks are heavy favorites to win at home and take the lead in their season series. They are favored by a -14.5 point spread and -1200 on the moneyline. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets are favored to surpass the total mark of 222 and the Bucks are expected to go under 222.5.
