Milwaukee Bucks vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction: Elite Bucks take on vulnerable Pels

The NBA Regular Season goes through the motions at a rapid pace and before we knew it, the trade deadline has been knocking on our doors. Sure, the All-Star has its own charm but for a serious NBA follower, the trade deadline means much more(in my humble opinion). The long season can force teams to retool themselves and for the Playoffs aspirants, a change or two can boost the momentum. Anyway, in this NBA Regular Season game, the Milwaukee Bucks are going to clash against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Bucks enter the game after defeating the Pacers 141:131 as Giannis Antetokounmpo had 41 points. This was their fifth win in six games, so their campaign is back on track after a lax period. They have now reached 32 wins and 17 losses, which is the least surprising team for a tight defensive squad that has now found its offensive spark too, on the back of their multiple-times MVP Giannis. With a four-game home stretch coming, they can take it even further a notch.

Apart from the scintillating play of Giannis, the rest of the unit has found balance with multiple players scoring 15 and above. The defense has leaked some points but that is because of the change of offensive style that has worked out well. Khris Middleton is back in the picture but Bobby Portis will be missed but if Middleton is active, their frontline will have a lot of depth. The Bucks are in quest for their second ring in three seasons and with a seasoned and well-gelled core, they have every chance to do so.

The Pels come into this affair after suffering a 103:113 loss against the Wizards despite a 25 points performance by CJ McCollum. This was the seven straight loss for the Pelicans and after a superb start, they have tumbled to 26 wins and 24 losses. The lack of wins can be attributed to the absence of Zion Williamson, who was carrying the major load and the offense has gone ice-cold. The Pels have scored 103 or fewer in six of the last seven games, which is a big concern.

High-scoring wing Brandon Ingram has been back after an absence of two months but he has struggled shooting-wise and may need some time to get back in the groove. McCollum has been a big contributor but he has been in up-and-down rhythm all season. Jonas Valanciunas is more of a third/fourth option on offense and having him as the second option just doesn’t work. Overall, the Pels await the return of Williamson and he will be reevaluated around the second week of February, which is still a long time away.

• Bucks: OUT: Bobby Portis, Serge Ibaka. PROBABLE: Giannis Antetokounmpo;
• Pelicans: OUT: Dyson Daniels, Zion Williamson, EJ Lidell.

• Expected Leading Scorers: Giannis Antetokounmpo(35-42 Points)-PROB, CJ McCollum(23-26 Points);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Giannis Antetokounmpo(13-17 Rebounds)-PROB, Jonas Valanciunas (10-12 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Playmakers: Jrue Holiday(8-10 Assists), CJ McCollum(6-8 Assists).

The Bucks have found their groove and this is when they dispatch opponents with flair. The Pels have no flair since Williamson has left and the length of the Bucks is going to bother them to no end. This should be an easy win for the Bucks and if it is not, it will be a huge upset. I predict a scoreline of 131:104 in favor of the Pels.