PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* NBA Game of the Day >> 30-14 Last 44 NBA (6-2 L8!)
(NBA) Portland vs. Milwaukee,
Point Spread: 1.50 | -110.00 Portland (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 1.50 | -110.00 Portland (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 12-10 Portland Trail Blazers will be in Milwaukee Wednesday night to take on the 10-9 Bucks. This marks the second of a five-game road trip for Portland, which will go for its fourth straight win. The Bucks saw their season-high four-game winning streak end on Monday when they blew a 13-point halftime lead Monday against San Antonio, falling 97-96.
Portland: The Blazers lean heavily on the scoring prowess of PG Damian Lillard (27.9-4.9-5.6) and backcourt partner C. J. McCollum (22.0-3.8-3.7), the league's second-highest scoring tandem behind a couple of unknowns named Durant and Curry. Portland's 112-110 victory Monday at Chicago extended its winning streak to three games and was the team's fourth win in five games. "I thought this was a good way to start a trip," said Portland coach Terry Stotts. "Even though we gave up 110 points, I thought we were locked in for most of the game. We did a lot of good things defensively." Monday marked the return of Al-Farouq Aminu to the Blazers' lineup after he had missed 13 games with a calf injury. He scored three points on 1-for-3 shooting, with a block and a steal, in 17 minutes. Aminu averaged 10.2 & 6.1 last year and his return to health is important for a team in search of more scoring outside of Lillard and McCollum. SF Harkless (13.0 & 5.5) and Plumlee (10.1 & 7.) are the only others in double figures, although Crabbe (9.5) and Turner (9.1) are closing in on that mark.
Milwaukee: The Bucks are also a team looking to find its identity behind young stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (22.4-8.7-5.4) and Jabari Parker (18.8 & 6.0). Milwaukee was seemingly in control against the Spurs but started to fall apart late in the second half and, despite a late surge, couldn't overcome San Antonio in the final moments. Coach Jason Kidd said the loss will help Milwaukee in the long run "You can also grow from losing," Kidd said. "Going through the experience of a close game, you can learn from your mistakes. We can learn a lot from our mistakes. Going down the stretch, (we need) to move the ball and make plays for one another to where someone gets a wide-open shot."
The pick: I'm not buying Kidd's assessment that the loss Monday to San Antonio was a "plus." In fact, I look for a carry over of that disappointment tonight, as the high-scoring Trail Blazers (110.3 PPG ranks 5th in the league) outscore the Bucks, who have few if any options outside of Antetokounmpo and Parker. Portland is a 10* play.
Portland: The Blazers lean heavily on the scoring prowess of PG Damian Lillard (27.9-4.9-5.6) and backcourt partner C. J. McCollum (22.0-3.8-3.7), the league's second-highest scoring tandem behind a couple of unknowns named Durant and Curry. Portland's 112-110 victory Monday at Chicago extended its winning streak to three games and was the team's fourth win in five games. "I thought this was a good way to start a trip," said Portland coach Terry Stotts. "Even though we gave up 110 points, I thought we were locked in for most of the game. We did a lot of good things defensively." Monday marked the return of Al-Farouq Aminu to the Blazers' lineup after he had missed 13 games with a calf injury. He scored three points on 1-for-3 shooting, with a block and a steal, in 17 minutes. Aminu averaged 10.2 & 6.1 last year and his return to health is important for a team in search of more scoring outside of Lillard and McCollum. SF Harkless (13.0 & 5.5) and Plumlee (10.1 & 7.) are the only others in double figures, although Crabbe (9.5) and Turner (9.1) are closing in on that mark.
Milwaukee: The Bucks are also a team looking to find its identity behind young stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (22.4-8.7-5.4) and Jabari Parker (18.8 & 6.0). Milwaukee was seemingly in control against the Spurs but started to fall apart late in the second half and, despite a late surge, couldn't overcome San Antonio in the final moments. Coach Jason Kidd said the loss will help Milwaukee in the long run "You can also grow from losing," Kidd said. "Going through the experience of a close game, you can learn from your mistakes. We can learn a lot from our mistakes. Going down the stretch, (we need) to move the ball and make plays for one another to where someone gets a wide-open shot."
The pick: I'm not buying Kidd's assessment that the loss Monday to San Antonio was a "plus." In fact, I look for a carry over of that disappointment tonight, as the high-scoring Trail Blazers (110.3 PPG ranks 5th in the league) outscore the Bucks, who have few if any options outside of Antetokounmpo and Parker. Portland is a 10* play.
