Los Angeles Clippers vs Milwaukee Bucks 4/1/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Predictions
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Los Angeles Clippers vs. Milwaukee Bucks Matchup Preview (4/1/22)
After another huge road victory against Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks will return home to host the Los Angeles Clippers. Milwaukee was put through the proverbial gauntlet in its past three games, facing the Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, and Brooklyn Nets. It was able to grab two wins in those three games, with both wins coming in the final seconds of the game. The Bucks are beginning to resemble the championship team from last season, which has to scare other teams in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the Clippers have a primary offensive weapon in their lineup for the first time in three months! Paul George has hardly skipped a beat after missing a large portion of the season to an elbow injury. His timing could hardly be better as the Clippers are looking to find their way into the postseason, and it would be challenging to do without him. Below, I dive into further analysis of this matchup and who I think will win. Take a look!
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Milwaukee Bucks Betting Odds
I have to stick with the Milwaukee Bucks in this matchup. The Bucks can do no wrong right now and have been beating some of the best teams in the NBA in the last week. Giannis is fresh off a 44-point performance against the formidable Brooklyn Nets, and I can’t help but think he follows that up strongly here. Paul George is back for the Clippers, so this should be relatively competitive, but the Bucks defended a similarly sized player in Kevin Durant quite well in their last game. I can see Milwaukee throwing Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Wesley Matthews at him all game, so don’t expect 120 points from this Los Angeles offense. I’ll take the Milwaukee Bucks against the spread because it is late in the season, and they are beginning to resemble the team that won the NBA Championship last year.
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How To Watch
Date: 4/1/22
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Arena: Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI
Channel: NBA League Pass
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Los Angeles Clippers Starting Lineup
PG: Reggie Jackson
SG: Paul George
SF: Nicolas Batum
PF: Marcus Morris Sr.
C: Ivica Zubac
Los Angeles Clippers Analysis
Paul George is finally back after an elbow injury derailed most of his 2021-22 season. This is excellent news for the Los Angeles Clippers, who are on the cusp of making the play-in games with hopes of then making the postseason! Without George and Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles has done surprisingly well, sitting in eighth place in a grueling Western Conference. A large portion of its success has been predicated on its defensive efforts and a “never quit” mentality. There have already been a handful of games where the Clippers have come back from monstrous deficits to win, including recently against the Utah Jazz. The Clippers rank in the top ten in defensive rating, defensive efficiency, opponent 3P% (three-point percentage), and opponent eFG% (effective field goal percentage) this season. George is a valuable perimeter defender, so adding him can make this team more difficult to score on.
Milwaukee Bucks Starting Lineup
PG: Jrue Holiday
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Khris Middleton
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: Brook Lopez
Milwaukee Bucks Analysis
What a week it has been for the Milwaukee Bucks, who secured an impressive 2-1 record on their most recent road trip against the Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, and Brooklyn Nets. This Bucks team closely resembles the one we saw win the NBA Finals last season, which is dangerous for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee made a statement, with an overtime win against the Nets, that it would not shy away from a potential first-round matchup with Brooklyn! Several teams in the Eastern Conference, including Miami and Philadelphia, have all but made it known they’d like to avoid the Nets, if possible. As long as Milwaukee does not revert to its inconsistent play at the beginning of the season, it should have no problem putting away a team like the Clippers at home; look at what the Bucks have been able to do on the road!
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Milwaukee Bucks Daily Fantasy Picks
If there has ever been a late-season MVP push, Giannis is making it right now. Antetokounmpo just secured back-to-back road wins against the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, two of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference. In the game against Brooklyn, Giannis finished with 44 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists in an unstoppable performance; he even hit a game-tying, step-back three-pointer to send the game into overtime, where the Bucks eventually won. It’s frightening how good Giannis has been in his past eight games. He has averaged nearly 35 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and one steal on an efficient 60% from the floor during that span.
Additionally, Giannis has shot 35% from deep and 72% from the free-throw line in those eight games! If those shooting numbers were maintained for an entire season, the narrative around Giannis would change completely; he would be considered one of the greatest players of all time. I already see him in that light, but skeptics always need more convincing. Regardless, give him a look in DFS because this is a historic hot streak, and you don’t want to miss out!
Paul George has officially returned for the Los Angeles Clippers, and his first game back in several months was quite impressive. George helped Los Angeles overcome a massive second-half deficit to grab a critical home win against the Utah Jazz. In that game, George finished with 34 points, six assists, four steals, and two rebounds on 10-for-20 from the field and 6-for-9 from deep. While not every game will be like this, I like George to have plenty of volume and opportunity against the Milwaukee Bucks. He may struggle at times because he has not played consistently in many months, but the Bucks have many breakdowns on defense and in transition. Additionally, they love to play fast-paced, especially against a team like the Clippers, which should inherently give George plenty of opportunities to shoot and score: more possessions equals more shots! I believe that Milwaukee will win at home, but it won’t be easy, and George should get his on the offensive end!
