Last night, the Bucks continued their a solid stretch of games, now victors in 10 of their last 12. Those two losses occurred during second games of back-to-backs against Miami on December 22nd and Toronto on January 5th. In both of those contests, the Bucks looked quite gassed. Following a 5-1 homestand, Milwaukee hits the road to finish the week– making stops in Houston, Washington and Atlanta.
Wednesday, January 9th @ Houston
Houston is an offensive juggernaut. James Harden is making a strong run for MVP again, averaging 42 points per game in his last six outings including 44 against Golden State on January 3rd. Milwaukee will need to find a way to control Harden if they hope to win against a hot Rockets team. Like the Bucks, Houston is playing playoff caliber basketball right now, as they’ve won eight of their last 10 games. If Milwaukee’s outside shot is on target, this game could be a thrilling shootout if Harden isn’t contained. The Harden vs. Giannis MVP game will undoubtedly be the game of the week.
Friday, January 11th @ Washington
The second stop of road trip Washington to take on a disappointing Wizards team that currently sits 11th in the eastern conference with a record of 16-24. They have lost six of their last 10 games, but handily beat Oklahoma City on Sunday 116-98. The Wizards play with pace, but their defense currently ranks 27th. With John Wall out for the season after surgery to remove bone spurs, the burden of carrying a struggling Wizards team falls on shooting guard Bradley Beal. If Milwaukee can shut him down, the Bucks should win this game with ease.
Sunday, January 13th @ Atlanta
Atlanta will be looking to settle the score after getting crushed at Fiserv Forum 144-112 last Friday. The Bucks had control all four quarters in a game that was never in question. Winning on the road in the NBA is never easy, however. If Milwaukee brings the same energy and effort as they did against the Hawks a week ago, they should find success again without question.
