Positive Gains
Some time spent with their famous part-owner appears to have had a positive effect on the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Bobcats look to win a season-high third straight game as they visit the struggling Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Milwaukee -6.5 point spread favorites (NBA Odds) for today’s game, the over/under has been set at 187.5 total points (Matchup). Our public betting information shows that 88% of bets for this game have been placed on Milwaukee -6.5 (View NBA Bet Percentages).
Charlotte (10-14) won 105-95 over the lowly New York Knicks at home on Friday for its second consecutive victory since Michael Jordan sat in on a film session and team meeting Monday. He also practiced with the club on Tuesday.
"I think it gave guys a spark,” guard Raymond Felton said of Jordan’s presence. "Just to see him around, just for him to come around and mess around with us.”
Jordan’s two-day appearance was a way for one of the game’s greats to become more involved with the franchise he bought into in June 2006. Jordan also hoped he could provide a boost for a team that had lost 10 of 12 games before the back-to-back wins.
Jordan, who has final say on the club’s basketball decisions, talked about playing as a team and offered advice to the team’s younger players.
"He gave us some pointers on things he felt like we could do better to be a better team,” said Gerald Wallace, who had 27 points against the Knicks.
The Bobcats appeared to have listened.
One of the NBA’s worst-scoring teams at 92.7 points per contest, Charlotte surpassed that average for the second straight contest and topped 100 points for just the sixth time in 24 games.
The Bobcats rallied from a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Utah 98-92 on Wednesday.
"I think we kind of left off from the last game,” said Wallace, who averages a team-leading 19.2 points, including 25.6 in his last three contests.
Wallace had 22 points and 10 rebounds in the Bobcats’ 102-99 season-opening win over Milwaukee on Nov. 2.
Charlotte looks to win its fourth straight over the Bucks after losing the first nine meetings between the teams since the Bobcats entered the league in 2004-05.
Milwaukee (10-15), meanwhile, will try to avoid a third straight loss after falling 102-89 to Sacramento on Wednesday. Tied after three quarters, the Bucks were outscored 34-21 in the fourth.
Michael Redd scored 27 points and Andrew Bogut had 12 and 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who have lost 11 of 14 games since starting 7-4.
"We just need to get some momentum going,” said Bogut, who had 11 points and 17 rebounds in the loss to Charlotte last month.
With forward Charlie Villaneuva still day-to-day with a sprained right ankle, the Bucks will be without starting forward Desmond Mason, who is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb Saturday.
Mason, who averages 8.0 points and 3.9 rebounds, suffered the injury Wednesday and could miss up to eight weeks.
Milwaukee is 5-1 at home versus Charlotte. The Bobcats won 113-92 on April 14 in their most recent trip to the Bradley Center.
By: Marc Young – theSpread.com – Email Us
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