We’ve got a fascinating interconference matchup on the cards tonight as the Los Angeles Clippers (39-20) head to Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee to take on the Milwaukee Bucks (40-21).
Doc Rivers finally has the Bucks playing some top basketball, and they will be bidding for a sixth straight victory on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Clippers are fresh off a 89-88 road win against the Minnesota Timberwolves last night.
Bet Rivers has the Bucks listed as 5.5-point favorites (-107) with the game total set at O/U 226. NBA fans can catch the action from 8:00 p.m. ET. Make sure that you take a look at our best bet for tonight’s blockbuster matchup below!
Last Time Out
LA has been inconsistent since the All-Star Break with a record of 3-3. However, they are looking for their third consecutive win in the second of a back-to-back here. They managed to record a 140-115 win at home to the Washington Wizards on Friday before grinding out a hard-fought 89-88 victory on the road to the Timberwolves last night.
Kawhi Leonard starred in the victory in Minnesota, putting up a game-high 32 points. Norman Powell also impressed, scoring 24 points, but overall, the offensive display was underwhelming. Still, the Clippers will feel confident about their chances here due to the fact they have lost just one of their last eight road games.
The Bucks have looked a lot more like themselves of late and are starting to find some rhythm. Since the break, they are 5-0, covering the spread in each victory to boot. However, they have played just two teams that are over .500 in that time.
Nevertheless, you can’t argue with the fact that Milwaukee has impressed of late, and they comfortably got past the Chicago Bulls 113-97 in Illinois in their last matchup on Friday. Star man Giannis Antetokounmpo was on fire against the Bulls, putting up 46 points. Defensively, the Bucks have been elite recently, not allowing more than 100 points in any of their last four contests.
Injuries & Team News
Point guard Russell Westbrook is the main absentee for the road team here as he has been ruled out with a fractured hand that he picked up against the Wizards. However, the Clippers shouldn't have any other issues to worry about.
As for the hosts, Giannis is on the injury report and is questionable due to achilles tendonitis. Nevertheless, he is expected to play. Khris Middleton is unlikely to feature, though, as he continues to recover from an ankle problem. Forward Chris Livingston (groin) is doubtful, whilst MarJon Beauchamp (back) is probable.
Head-to-Head
Milwaukee and LA are yet to meet this season, but the Bucks secured a 2-0 series sweep last season. They sealed a 119-106 triumph at Crypto.com Arena back in February 2023, whilst they narrowly edged out the Clippers 106-105 in their last meeting at Fiserv Forum.
Betting Trends & Stats
Two top-ten offenses will go head-to-head tonight as the Bucks average the second-most points per game (ppg) in the league (121.5), whilst the Clippers rank in tenth (117.4). They also rank fifth and seventh in field goal percentage respectively.
For the season, Milwaukee has been below-average defensively, allowing 117.1 ppg (18th). However, they have given up just 97.2 ppg over their last five outings. The Clippers, meanwhile, also boast a top-ten defense, ranking ninth in ppg allowed (112.5).
Overall during the campaign, the Bucks have struggled to cover the spread, and have an against the spread (ATS) record of 26-34-1. They have a rest advantage over their opponents tonight, but they have struggled to cover in this regard, with an ATS record of 3-10-0.
The Clippers have been pretty solid ATS (31-28-0). However, they have covered in just 40% of games as away underdogs (4-6-0). The rest disadvantage may hinder them here, too, since they are 5-10-0 ATS for this metric.
Key Players
Averaging 24.2 ppg this season, Leonard will be the one to watch for the Clippers in this one. The six-time All-Star enters the matchup in excellent shape as well, scoring 20+ points in each of his last six consecutive games. Paul George (22.0 ppg) will be another strong scoring option, but he shot just five of 16 from the field last night.
Sitting third in ppg across the NBA this season, Antetokounmpo (30.8) will be the obvious key player for the Bucks. He put in a top, top display against the Bulls last time out as well, making 16 of his 22 field goal attempts as he put up 46 points. He also leads the team in average rebounds (11.3) and steals (1.3).
Best Bet
I considered taking the Bucks to cover here as they aim to continue on their hot streak, especially after the Clippers played a tough game against the Wolves last night. However, after digging deeper, there are just too many question marks.
There’s a soft nod to the Bucks to cover 5.5, but one wager I really like is for the Under to hit for tonight’s total. Milwaukee’s defense has been elite, whilst the Clippers struggled to score against Minnesota. LA will be feeling some fatigue too, whilst the absence of Westbrook means they’ll have less rotation options.
Under 226 (-109 with Bet Rivers)
