Lillard Returns To Moda Center, First Time in 10 Months
Bucks vs Blazers Odds Have Clear Favorite
The Milwaukee Bucks are still looking for win No. 1 with Doc Rivers as head coach.
The Bucks will take on a 14-win Portland Trail Blazers team, currently 14th in the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, the Bucks are sitting at 32-15 but have lost two of their last three games. Monday’s loss to the Nuggets was the first game as head coach for Doc Rivers.
Rivers will be a better fit for the Bucks. But it’ll likely take some time for Rivers and this NBA team to adjust to the new coaching style and system the Bucks are trying to implement.
Meanwhile, the Blazers won a major blowout against the 76ers on Monday, winning 130-104. The Blazers played against a 76ers team that didn’t have Joel Embiid or Tyrese Maxey but still got the job done.
In this NBA game, the Bucks are expected to have a regular roster with nobody sitting out. That’s why Milwaukee is a -10 favorite, with the total at 236.
Check out the Bucks vs Blazers odds for this late-night ESPN matchup to close out the month of January.
Bucks vs Blazers 
Day/Time:
Location: Moda Center
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
Bucks vs Blazers Odds & Trends
The Bucks were a four-point underdog against the Nuggets on Monday. However, they failed to cover in that game, losing by six. That dropped the Bucks to 18-28-1 against the spread this season.
That game against the Nuggets was also on the road. The Bucks dropped to 11-10 on the road this season, an area of concern for this Championship-hopeful team.
Meanwhile, the Over has hit in 28 of 47 games this season.
On the other hand, Portland is 8-13 at home. They’re also 14-33 straight up. However, the Blazers have covered 22 of 47 games this season and have hit the Under in 26 of those 47 games. They’ve been a little weak against the spread but have lost less money than the Bucks have against the spread this year.
The Bucks already defeated the Blazers at home, 108-102. They’ll look for the two-game sweep against the Blazers in this one. Milwaukee has won three consecutive games against Portland dating back to 2022.
The major difference is that Damian Lillard is now in Milwaukee and no longer in Portland.
Will Doc Rivers Fix Milwaukee?
It’s never a good sign when the savior of a team is joining his third job in five years.
Doc Rivers is one of the most accomplished coaches in the NBA. He was currently a TV analyst with ESPN before joining the Bucks as the head coach. He’s got a winning record in 16 straight seasons and should absolutely finish this year with a winning record, knowing the amount of talent on the roster.
However, Rivers has more memorable losses than wins. He’s gone to an NBA Championship. However, he’s also got many collapses with teams that should’ve probably gone farther in the playoffs than they did.
That could happen to the Bucks. But for now, we’ll sit back and enjoy the show.
Lillard’s Return To Portland
There’s a reason why this Bucks-Blazers game is on ESPN. Nobody cares to watch the Blazers. That’s ultimately because Lillard demanded out of Portland and latched on with the Milwaukee Bucks this season.
This will be Lillard’s first game in the Moda Center since ten months ago.
The front office for Portland believes this is the biggest game of the year. They even released more seats in the nosebleeds for $64 so more people can watch Lillard’s return.
Lillard will be celebrated in Portland. He did many good things for the Blazers, including a 71-point performance against the Houston Rockets in 2023.
Most fans understand the business of sports and know that the Blazers weren’t going to be able to make Lillard happy in Portland with the roster they had. It was time to let him go, but the memories will last forever.
Blowout In The Making!
For Lillard, this game could get emotional. The analytics don’t help us with the mental aspect of sports. However, once Lillard locks in, the Bucks should be able to explode against the Blazers.
Milwaukee is scoring nearly 121 points per 100 possessions with an effective field goal percentage of 57.6. The Bucks have even earned a 23.5 free throw rate. The Blazers are in the top four offensively in all those categories mentioned.
The Bucks aren’t electric on the offensive glass, earning only 25% of offensive rebounds. However, the Blazers have given up 29% of offensive rebounds. The Bucks may add more offensive rebounds and second chances in this game against the Blazers.
Plus, with the Blazers giving up 118.7 points per 100 possessions and an effective field goal percentage of 56.7%, the Bucks should get high-quality looks and drain most of those shots. The Blazers also foul at a very high rate, which should only benefit a Bucks team that gets to the line frequently anyway.
Conversely, the Blazers are the league’s worst offense, scoring 109.1 points per 100 possessions. They’ve also shot an effective field goal percentage of 50.6%, which is also dead last in the NBA.
While the Bucks don’t earn many turnovers, the Blazers will sometimes give up unforced errors at a high rate. Portland has turned the ball over more than 15% of the time this season. The only thing the Blazers do well offensively is grabbing offensive rebounds. But the Bucks have held teams to 26.3% of offensive rebounds.
Analytically, the Bucks should dominate the Blazers. Things can change under head coach Doc Rivers and an emotional Damian Lillard. But we’d rather put our money on the team that will get much higher-quality looks and get to the foul line more frequently.
Therefore, after reviewing the Bucks vs Blazers odds, our NBA betting predictions have the Bucks grabbing the win and covering the spread at -10 (-110). The Blazers aren’t even close to the Bucks in the NBA standings. The Bucks also aren’t facing any major NBA injuries right now. Rivers will get his first win and cover as the Bucks’ head coach in this one.
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