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One of the best teams to start the season has no question been the Milwaukee Bucks. After winning the NBA Finals a couple of seasons ago, the Buks fell short of things last year. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. are ready to try and seal the deal this season. Before the All-Star Break arrives, Milwaukee will host the Grizzlies for what should be an entertaining game. With that said, Milwaukee should dominate Memphis on its home floor for fans to enjoy.
On one side of things, the Bucks have been sensational on both ends of the floor, but goodness, you can’t say the same thing about the Grizzlies. Not long ago, Memphis had boatloads of talent and they were looking like a contender in the Western Conference. Fast forward to this season, though, and the Grizzlies are in the cellar of the standings with an 18-36 record. There’s no chance they’re going to be in the playoffs this year.
| Bucks vs. Grizzlies odds |  |  |  |
| Bucks to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Grizzlies to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over 220 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 220 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
That’s not the case for the Bucks, as they indeed are among the best teams in the league. Antetokounmpo continues to play at not only an All-Star level, but an MVP level as well. With Giannis looking so sharp for Milwaukee, the hope is that he can power the team back to the NBA Finals. It won’t be easy, as the Boston Celtics are looking like the class of the Eastern Conference, but Milwaukee definitely has the pieces to go on a deep run. A statement win over Memphis would be solid too.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Bucks hold -110 NBA betting odds to post a victory on Thursday night. The Grizzlies hold +125 NBA betting odds. From our chair, we think that Milwaukee isn’t going to have an issue at all in coming away with a convincing victory. It should set the tone for the rest of the year too. We’re going with the Bucks as our pick.
Tonight's player of the game.
🎰: @paysbig pic.twitter.com/aVJIPgykSS
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 14, 2024
Damian Lillard has been a key-time player for the Bucks this year
One thing in particular that’s helping out Milwaukee these days is that Damian Lillard has been a key-time player for the Bucks this year. When you think of Lillard, you surely think of all the great plays he was able to make with the Portland Trail Blazers throughout his career. Lillard is a living legend in the Pacific Northwest and that’s not going to change simply because he’s now on the other side of the USA.
Lillard is a lethal shooter and he can knock down shots from all over the hardwood. Later this week, Lillard will be participating in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game 3-Point Contest and people can’t wait to see him put on a show in this event. Last year, Lillard was able to take down the rest of the field, taking home the trophy. This season, Lillard is hoping to repeat as the champion, which would be awesome to see.
DAME DOLLA ⌚️
Damian Lillard is the 2023 3-Point Contest champion 🏆 pic.twitter.com/5BRELAaB1x
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 19, 2023
That’d be one thing, but Lillard has never won an NBA Finals title in his life and he’s really hoping that’s going to change this season. As difficult as it was to leave Portland, the main reason he decided to try something new was because he wanted to go to a contender. The Bucks are in a great position to go on a deep postseason run this year. If they end up getting back to the Finals, Lillard is going to have a major say in things.
This weekend, though, all eyes will be on Lillard to see if he’ll be able to repeat as the 3-point champ. There’s another talented field ready to try and take him down. It’s going to be tough for Lillard to come out on top, but you can never rule him out. Lillard has ice in his veins and he’s been known for drilling great shots throughout his career. Loads of Bucks fans will be watching to see if he can win yet another 3-point title. We’ll find out soon enough if he does or not.
Milwaukee’s NBA Finals odds continue to rise
For a while now, people have assumed that the champs this year will either be Denver or Boston, but Milwaukee’s NBA Finals odds continue to rise. The Bucks hold +450 NBA Finals betting odds, which is third behind the Nuggets and Celtics. Denver won the title last year and they’re in a prime spot to repeat.
However, Boston has the best record in the NBA and they’ve posted some memorable performances during the first half of the season. Jayson Tatum is playing some of the best ball of his career right now – there’s a reason Boston holds the top betting odds to take home the glory.
While a lot of people are high on Boston and Denver, you simply can’t forget about Milwaukee. The Bucks are no strangers to posting some head-turning upsets and if they take on the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, then they’ll have a great chance of coming out on top and moving on to the Finals. We can’t wait to see how things go down.
