3rd Quarter Report
The Bucks and the Hornets have shown up to the match, but their offenses sure haven’t. The Bucks have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Hornets 99-63. The Bucks took a big hit to their ego last Thursday, so a win here would be a pleasant pick-me-up.
The Bucks entered the match with three straight losses and they’re well on their way to making it four. Can they turn things around, or will the Hornets hand them another defeat? Only time will tell.
Who’s Playing
Charlotte Hornets @ Milwaukee Bucks
Current Records: Charlotte 10-40, Milwaukee 33-19
How To Watch
- When: Friday, February 9, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Fiserv Forum — Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- TV: Bally Sports SE Charlotte
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $39.00
What to Know
The Hornets have enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Milwaukee Bucks at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday at Fiserv Forum. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.
The Hornets traveled a rocky road last season, and unfortunately for them the road hasn’t gotten any smoother. They took a 123-117 hit to the loss column at the hands of Toronto. That’s two games in a row now that the Hornets have lost by exactly six points.
The Hornets’ loss came about despite a quality game from Miles Bridges, who went 6 for 11 from beyond the arc en route to 45 points and 7 assists. As a matter of fact, that’s the most points Bridges has scored all season. Less helpful for the Hornets was PJ Washington’s abysmal 0-5 three-point shooting.
Meanwhile, the Bucks’ recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their third straight defeat. Their painful 129-105 defeat to Minnesota might stick with them for a while. The Bucks were down 102-75 at the end of the third quarter, which was just too much to recover from.
Despite the defeat, the Bucks had strong showings from AJ Green, who went 7 for 8 from beyond the arc en route to 27 points and 3 assists, and Jae Crowder, who scored 21 points along with eight rebounds and five assists. Green didn’t help the Bucks’ cause all that much against the Suns on Tuesday but the same can’t be said for this game.
Charlotte dropped their record down to 10-40 with that defeat, which was their eighth straight at home. That poor showing could be blamed on the team’s lackluster offensive performance across that stretch, as they only averaged 106.4 points per game. As for Milwaukee, they have not been sharp recently as the team’s lost five of their last six matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 33-19 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Hornets haven’t given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 12.9 turnovers per game. However, it’s not like the Bucks struggle in that department as they’ve been averaging only 12.5 turnovers per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Hornets must know they’re fighting an uphill battle given the 14-point spread they’re up against. This contest will be their 12th straight as the underdogs (so far over this stretch they are 4-7 against the spread).
Odds
Milwaukee is a big 14-point favorite against Charlotte, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Bucks as a 14.5-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 231 points.
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Series History
Milwaukee has won 6 out of their last 10 games against Charlotte.
- Nov 17, 2023 – Milwaukee 130 vs. Charlotte 99
- Jan 31, 2023 – Milwaukee 124 vs. Charlotte 115
- Jan 06, 2023 – Charlotte 138 vs. Milwaukee 109
- Dec 03, 2022 – Milwaukee 105 vs. Charlotte 96
- Feb 28, 2022 – Milwaukee 130 vs. Charlotte 106
- Jan 10, 2022 – Charlotte 103 vs. Milwaukee 99
- Jan 08, 2022 – Charlotte 114 vs. Milwaukee 106
- Dec 01, 2021 – Milwaukee 127 vs. Charlotte 125
- Apr 27, 2021 – Milwaukee 114 vs. Charlotte 104
- Apr 09, 2021 – Charlotte 127 vs. Milwaukee 119
