Milwaukee vs Brooklyn: Reigning champions to start with a defeat

Milwaukee knocked off a weakened Brooklyn in a tightly contested NBA playoff series last season, and it’s no surprise that a matchup with such a strong showing will open the new season. Will the reigning champion manage to get off to a winning start?

The Bucks were crowned champions last season, not without a bit of luck, and since then, they have not had many options for reinforcement. The club pays a luxury tax, and there have been no grandiose signings, but the club’s recruits could well take a shot. Grayson Allen, for example, received an impressive contract extension the day before, and the Milwaukee coaching staff appears to be preparing him for a serious role on the team. P.J. Tucker, who left in the offseason, will try to be replaced by Semi Ojeleye, while Rodney Hood and George Hill also joined the Stags this summer. Donte DiVincenzo is yet to return to action after an injury, and Bobby Portis will also miss the meeting with Brooklyn.

Mike Budenholzer’s team won only 1 of 5 preseason games. At home, they defeated one of the Western outsiders, Oklahoma (130-110). Milwaukee lost their last game on the home court to Dallas (103-111). Three-pointers made on that night failed the team, making only 11 of 40 shots. Grayson Allen, Brook Lopez, and Giannis Adetokunbo battled for the team and made seven threes with a respectable percentage, but Jrue Holiday, Jordan Nwora, and Pat Connaughton were consistently bad. Giannis Adetokunbo was the top scorer for the Bucks with 26 points and ten rebounds.

The Nets continued to build a championship team after a controversial playoff run, and so far, everything rests on the stars’ willingness to play. Kyrie Irving was never vaccinated and was suspended from the team, and there are questions about James Harden as well. He has not yet fully recovered from his past injury, and there could be game restrictions for the star defender at the start of the season. The good news is that everyone else is otherwise healthy, including veteran recruits Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge. Patty Mills should also be a clear reinforcement, and the recently drafted Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe will be interesting to watch.

Steve Nash’s men played well in the preseason, winning three games in 4 games. Last game, Brooklyn defeated Minnesota, 107-101. The Nets lost the ball more often and lost the battle on the boards, but Joe Harris made up for it with a respectable three-point percentage and became the top scorer on the team with 23 points. LaMarcus Aldridge was also noteworthy, scoring 16 points, while Nicolas Claxton hit 5 of 7 shots from the field in 25 minutes.

Even with major roster problems, with Irving and Harden injured, Brooklyn had chances to beat Milwaukee in the playoff series, so it was not for nothing that the bookmakers rolled out a roughly even line for the opening game. The Nets have looked better in the preseason, Harden has more or less recovered, and the club has developed quite a few good role players. Yes, we shouldn’t overestimate the importance of exhibition games, but the Bucks’ results are still a little troubling. There’s not much defense in the regular season, so it’s reasonable to expect a performance upgrade. I suggest betting on the following outcomes:

• Brooklyn to win, including overtime for 2.10;
• Total Over 234.5 points for 2.06.