Bucks vs. Spurs Preview
San Antonio, TX (AP) – The San Antonio Spurs have the NBA’s best record, but they aren’t likely to take their next opponent for granted.
The Spurs look to close out a perfect six-game homestand Wednesday night when they host the Milwaukee Bucks, who shocked another of the league’s top teams in their last game.
According to NBA odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Spurs 8.5-point spread favorites for Wednesday’s game against the Bucks. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 84% of more than 252 bets for this game have been placed on the Spurs –8.5.
San Antonio (20-3) extended its winning streak to five games with a 95-78 victory over Portland on Sunday. It was the fourth straight double-digit win for the Spurs, who held the Trail Blazers to 37.9 percent shooting and outscored them 22-7 at the foul line.
The Spurs’ recent games have been so lopsided that Tim Duncan hadn’t played in the fourth quarter in any of the previous three contests. Duncan had eight points, 13 rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes Sunday. The 34-year-old is averaging a career-low 28.7 minutes.
“As the minutes continue to drop and I’m not in the fourth quarter, I’m going to become unbearable on the bench and pretty much annoy (coach Gregg Popovich) to the point where that he has to put me in,” Duncan said. “That’s my goal.”
With the season starting so well for the Spurs, there’s plenty of light-hearted joking. They are holding opponents to 87 points in the last four games and offensively are getting plenty of contributions. George Hill scored a season-high 22 points Sunday while rookie Gary Neal had 11 in 19 minutes off the bench.
Popovich still sees room for improvement despite his team’s stellar play.
“Right now there are about 10 to 15 teams that are doing a better job defensively than we are,” he said. “So we have to pay attention to it.”
One of the teams that is giving up fewer point than the Spurs is the Bucks (10-13), who will be trying for a season-high fourth straight win Wednesday. Milwaukee is allowing 93.2 points per game this season.
“It’s a big game,” Spurs forward Antonio McDyess said. “You don’t want a letdown. We’re doing pretty well so far in not letting up. … With Milwaukee coming in, we want to put that game away.”
The Bucks ended Dallas’ 12-game winning streak with a 103-99 road victory Monday.
Brandon Jennings had 23 points and 10 assists, helping Milwaukee rally from a 20-point second-quarter deficit. The Bucks had lost five in a row on the road and were 2-8 away from home entering the game.
“We’re starting to play better basketball,” said Andrew Bogut, who had 21 points and 14 rebounds. “We’re starting to buy into what the coaches want us to do, what we need to do to win games. It’s nice to have that feeling after a game like this and win a game on the road.”
The Bucks’ schedule doesn’t get any easier with their next five games against Western Conference opponents, including a visit by Utah on Saturday and a road game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. Milwaukee is 3-8 against teams from the West.
Continued strong play from Bogut would certainly help the Bucks. After missing five games with a back injury, he’s averaging 20.8 points, 15.6 rebounds and 3.4 blocks in the last five games.
The Spurs swept the season series against the Bucks last season, and have won six of eight at home.
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