DAVID MALINSKY
4* MILWAUKEE/NEW ORLEANS UNDER 194
Every once in a while over the course of the long NBA season you get a result that simply lacks merit, yet still clogs statistical databases. That can be particularly true of the last game before, or first game after, the All Star break, when playing rhythms can be broken. As such the 127 points that Houston rang up on this court a week ago, a night in which the Rockets hit a sizzling 16-23 from 3-point range, works for us here. It keeps the markets confused as to just how well the Bucks are playing defensively, and it was also an embarrassment that led to an even sharper focus on that end of the court in subsequent games. It all adds up to excellent value for this setting.
In their last three games before the break the Bucks allowed 81, 93 and 77 points. In the three games since the Houston fiasco it has been 85, 88 and 67. This is genuinely becoming a Scott Skiles team, one that is scrapping hard at the defensive end, and with John Salmons, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Carlos Delfino in the lineup there are some excellent wingspans on the perimeter, to go with Andew Bogut’s continued development inside (now second in the NBA in blocked shots). The fact that they are also winning these games (9-3 SU in their last 12) to move into playoff positioning helps them all to buy into the concept, and they basically know that they have to, because of offensive limitations. They have eight wins in the past month in games in which they scored 97 points or less, and the offensive issues are not going to go away – Brandon Jennings hit the rookie wall early, which takes away much of their explosiveness, and note that even in the current 3-0 SU run he has shot an awful 7-36 from the field.
Because of the short-handed roster New Orleans is in no hurry, literally, to force tempo here. This will be the first back-to-back sequence for the Hornets since the All Star break, and it is not helped by Darren Collison having to go 43:27 at Cleveland last night. This will be the first back-to-back for Collison as an NBA starter, which will slow the New Orleans pace, and before attaching too much credit to the 95 points the Hornets scored against a good Cavalier defense, note that the 37-point outburst off the bench by Marcus Thornton was simply one of those spins of the roulette wheel that occasionally happen in this league. With the game on the line in the second half (they led 56-53 at intermission) they were held to just 39 points, a much better indication of their true performance in that game.
MAYBE STU WILL POST THE REST
4* MILWAUKEE/NEW ORLEANS UNDER 194
Every once in a while over the course of the long NBA season you get a result that simply lacks merit, yet still clogs statistical databases. That can be particularly true of the last game before, or first game after, the All Star break, when playing rhythms can be broken. As such the 127 points that Houston rang up on this court a week ago, a night in which the Rockets hit a sizzling 16-23 from 3-point range, works for us here. It keeps the markets confused as to just how well the Bucks are playing defensively, and it was also an embarrassment that led to an even sharper focus on that end of the court in subsequent games. It all adds up to excellent value for this setting.
In their last three games before the break the Bucks allowed 81, 93 and 77 points. In the three games since the Houston fiasco it has been 85, 88 and 67. This is genuinely becoming a Scott Skiles team, one that is scrapping hard at the defensive end, and with John Salmons, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Carlos Delfino in the lineup there are some excellent wingspans on the perimeter, to go with Andew Bogut’s continued development inside (now second in the NBA in blocked shots). The fact that they are also winning these games (9-3 SU in their last 12) to move into playoff positioning helps them all to buy into the concept, and they basically know that they have to, because of offensive limitations. They have eight wins in the past month in games in which they scored 97 points or less, and the offensive issues are not going to go away – Brandon Jennings hit the rookie wall early, which takes away much of their explosiveness, and note that even in the current 3-0 SU run he has shot an awful 7-36 from the field.
Because of the short-handed roster New Orleans is in no hurry, literally, to force tempo here. This will be the first back-to-back sequence for the Hornets since the All Star break, and it is not helped by Darren Collison having to go 43:27 at Cleveland last night. This will be the first back-to-back for Collison as an NBA starter, which will slow the New Orleans pace, and before attaching too much credit to the 95 points the Hornets scored against a good Cavalier defense, note that the 37-point outburst off the bench by Marcus Thornton was simply one of those spins of the roulette wheel that occasionally happen in this league. With the game on the line in the second half (they led 56-53 at intermission) they were held to just 39 points, a much better indication of their true performance in that game.
MAYBE STU WILL POST THE REST
