The Milwaukee Bucks are winning again! And they seem to be a lock to win another game this Friday against the lowly Charlotte Hornets. Will the Bucks continue their undefeated run? Or, will the Hornets shock the Bucks?

Catch this game live on Friday, March 1, 2024 at 8:00 AM, Manila time

Away: Milwaukee Bucks (38-21/14-14 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

• Damian Lillard
• Malik Beasley
• Jae Crowder
• Giannis Antetokounmpo 
• Brook Lopez

Doc Rivers can sit down on his seat now. It’s cool now. After feeling the heat following a brutal pair of losses just before the 2024 NBA All-Star Break, the Bucks have seemingly gotten it together, as they have stitched together three consecutive wins, including last Wednesday’s 123-85 annihilation of the same team they will be facing this Friday. 

It was easy work for the Bucks, who had little issue in demonstrating the gap between them and a lowly franchise like the Hornets. The Bucks are being carried by their offense which is benefiting from Damian Lillard’s resurgence. Lillard appears to have rediscovered his shooting touch, as he averaged 22.7 points while shooting 40 3FG% in the last three games. But the only thing to know here about the Bucks is that they have won all three meetings this season with the Hornets by an average of 35.0 points.

Home: Charlotte Hornets (15-43/8-21 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

• Tre Mann
• Cody Martin
• Brandon Miller
• Miles Bridges
• Nick Richards

The Hornets recently had a four-game win streak going for them which was snapped in a 97-84 loss to the Golden State Warriors on the road last Saturday. Then they tasted a 93-80 win over fellow lottery-bound franchise Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on Monday before that aforementioned beatdown at the hands of the Bucks. 

It is not easy to convince people that the Hornets have what it takes to defeat the high-powered Bucks especially after Charlotte just got fired to the sun by Milwaukee. But also consider that the Bucks are still coached by Doc Rivers, who’s been susceptible to making poor coaching decisions midgame. Also, remember that the Bucks lost to the severely undermanned Memphis Grizzlies and the Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat before the break. Sure, the Bucks have recovered from that, but again, they’re still coached by Doc Rivers. 

But if you’re hoping for a cover for the Hornets, you can be encouraged by the fact that they are 4-2 against the spread in their last six home games as a double-digit underdog.

PREDICTIONS:

Spread: The Hornets (+11.5) cover the spread.

Over/Under: The total (216.6) hits the Over.