Game Time: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, March 24th, 2022 

Venue:  Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Where to Watch: NBA League Pass

DraftKings:  Spread:  Bucks -12; O/U 233.5

Fanduel:  Spread:  Bucks -12.5; O/U 233

BetMGM:  Spread: Bucks-12.5; O/U 233.5

Wizards: 30-41, 11th place Eastern Conference

Bucks: 45-27, 2nd place Eastern Conference

An NBA Eastern Conference matchup between a have and a have not.  The Washington Wizards are the have nots… That is pretty clear.  The team in Washington not only does not seem to sustain winning this season… it has been a few decades now.  The Wizards only catch the occasional blip like Michael Jordan joins them.. Or they got a couple of seasons of Bradley Beal playing with a healthy John Wall… or they pull off a genius trade by unloading SG Russell Westbrook on the three blind mice that run the Los Angeles Lakers (Jeannie Buss, Rob Pelinka, and whoever Jeannie Buss last got off the phone with)... still… These little pops of optimism are always met with a crash back to the bottom.  Right now the Wizards have a roster ready to go… They pulled off a trade for Kristaps Porzingis to add to Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Rui Hachimura… and their star SG Bradley Beal is out… he has a sprained wrist and most likely will not be back any time this season.  Nothing goes right for this franchise.  Except possibly the last several trades.  They found someone dumb enough to take John Wall’s enormous contract off their hands… they found someone to overpay for Russell Westbrook… They brought in Kristaps Porzingis for pieces they DID NOT want to keep… so maybe the future for this team is to simply trade Bradley Beal.  Do it.  Do it quick… get even more stuff.  The Milwaukee Bucks are last season’s champions.  They have the best player in the league (in my opinion) in PF Giannis Antetokounmpo.  We all know Giannis.. He plays like someone put Tracy McGrady into Kareen Abdul Jabbar's body… He leads his team in points, rebounds, and FG%... he does it with pride and joy.  He signed a big deal to stay in a small market because he has already shown he is good enough to make a small market a winner!  Such a refreshing attitude after witnessing Zion Williamson hoodwink a small market team and their fan base.  Turns out there are some guys out there so hungry to be great that they are willing to put forth their best effort no matter where they land in the draft.  Giannis and his back-up dancers, the Milwaukee Bucks, have a legit shot this season. Especially since the return of C Brook Lopez whom everyone I spoke to assumed Brook was done… nope.  Brook sat out almost all season and then when ready simply suited up and started playing.  That could be a game changer is Middleton and Holiday raise their games 5-10% in the playoffs…. The Bucks, the defending Champions are actually the dark horse to win the NBA Finals because of Miami and Philly… but they are probably the brightest dark horse ever.

The Washington Wizards have won only 2 out of their last ten games.  At this rate they not only will not make the “play-in” tournament… but may drop another spot in the standings… They only went 4-6 ATS… so they aren’t a solid betting opportunity either.  When this team gets beat, they get beat! Losing to the Warriors 126-112, to the Nuggets 127-109, and the HOUSTON ROCKETS 115-97… That's right… The Houston Rockets belong on the list of teams that have slapped the Washington Wizards silly ( in just the last 5 games) and all of course were losses ATS.  The Problem is bigger than missing SG Bradley Beal… and they have briefly missed SF Kyle Kuzma as well… It isn’t ALL that.  The remaining pieces are not an intentional team and they play like that.  Center Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 points against the HOUSTON ROCKETS while giving up 39 POINTS to Houston Center Christian Wood… Christian is not a bad player… but he should not be in Kristaps league!  Christian is an overpaid free agent signing on the worst team in basketball not named the Pistons or the Magic.  Christian is a starter the Rockets keep around to ensure that they get a great draft pick… SO THEY CAN REPLACE HIM.  Kristaps got outplayed directly and his teammates had very little of his back.  The Wizards at the moment are a terrible betting opportunity unless you want to bet the Over.. cause they are 8 Over and 2 Under in the last ten games and the reason they hit so many OVERS is they can’t play a lick of defense as a unit.

The Milwaukee Bucks have won 8 of their last ten games.  They went 7-3 ATS during that stretch.  They spent the last 2 weeks on the heels of the Philadelphia 76ers in the standings… but a Philly loss combined with a Bucks win Over Chicago has propelled Milwaukee into 2nd place.  They will not catch the Heat as there seem to be too few games left in the season.  The two teams to beat them in the last ten games were the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors… The T-Wolves are hot right now and the Golden State Warriors despite the recent struggles have a really stacked roster.  Milwaukee should beat up on Washington like the varsity should beat up on the JV.

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The Wizards are 30-41 on the season, but 27-42-2 ATS.  They have logged 39 Overs, 31 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are 12-23 in road games.

The Bucks are 45-27 on the season, but 34-38 ATS.  They have notched 36 Overs and 36 Unders.  They are 25-12 in home games.

The Wizards are 22nd in scoring with 108.3 ppg, 24th in rebounds with 43.2 per game, and 8th in AST/TO ratio with 1.9.  On defense they rank 18th while allowing 111.6 ppg from opponents.

The Bucks are 2nd in scoring with 115.1 ppg, 2nd in rebounds with 46.9 per game, and 16th in AST/TO ratio with 1.8. On defense they rank 16th while allowing 111.1 ppg.

Our prediction for Thursday, March 24th is…. Bucks 123 - Wizards 107

The Bucks will roll the Wizards and will rest their stars early.  The feeling in a Wizards game is that the season is over and everyone has stopped playing except for the 4-5 bench guys that will need a new deal from someone else soon.  

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The Wizards are 2-12 after having lost 4 of their last 5 games.
Milwaukee is 9-6 ATS as a favorite of 10 or more points.

Wizards: PF Kyle Kuzma (knee) Out ** SG Bradley Beal (wrist) Out

Bucks: SF Khris Middleton (wrist) Quest ** 

Wizards: SF Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PF Rui Hachimura, C Kristaps Porzingis, PG Raul Neto, SG Corey Kispert

Bucks: SF Wesley Mathews, PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, C Brook Lopez, SG Grayson “the hitman” Allen, PG Jrue Holiday

Wizards

Points: Bradley Beal 23.2

Assists: Bradley Beal 6.6

Rebounds: Kyle Kuzma 8.5

Bucks

Points: Giannis Antetokounmpo 29.7

Assists: Jrue Holiday 6.7

Rebounds: Giannis Antetokounmpo 11.6

Wizards: Wes Unseld Jr

Bucks: Mike Budenholzer