Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction & Match Preview - January 10th , 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
In a rematch of their matchup on January 8th, the Milwaukee Bucks will head over to North Carolina to play the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center on Monday.
The Hornets emerged winners in Saturday night's game, beating the Bucks 114-106 to improve to 21-19 on the season. Meanwhile, the Bucks have slipped to 26-16 on the season, but remain in fourth place.
With their season series at one game apiece, both teams will look to take a lead as they head into the third installment of their four-game series.
Match Details
Fixture - Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Monday, January 10th, 2022; 7:00 AM ET (Tuesday, January 11th, 2022; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue - Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC.
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
Their loss to the Charlotte Hornets was the Milwaukee Bucks' third in their last four games.
The defending champions' place as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference is secured for now. However, the Bucks will see many key players out of the rotation as they head into their rematch with the Hornets on Monday.
#GiannisAntetokounmpo despite the loss:
43 PTS
11 REB
2 BLK
58% FG
60% 3P
90% FT
RT to make him #NBAAllStar captain. https://t.co/oa2ChLSSnP
With most of their injuries being in their primary guard rotation, Milwaukee's backcourt was in shambles in their last game. With the frontcourt carrying the entirety of the offensive load, the Bucks saw major contributions from Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis.
A huge issue for the Bucks in their last game was their production from the bench. With Sandro Mamukelashvili being the only scorer off the bench, with five points, the Bucks' bench rotation was quite disappointing.
Against the Hornets, Milwaukee will have a lot of adjustments to bring their campaign back on track.
Key Player - Khris Middleton
A key player for the Milwaukee Bucks in Monday night's game could be Khris Middleton. In the absence of many key shooters, Middleton could play a more pronounced role for the team.
Middleton is part of Milwaukee's star trio. So he carries a huge responsibility to perform for the side in the given circumstances. He had a great outing against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
Oh my, Khris Middleton 👀
Spinning, splitting and getting the smooth reverse to fall on NBA League Pass: app.link.nba.com/e/stream https://t.co/2foWBSyb8A
Middleton recorded a near triple-double of 27 points, ten rebounds and nine assists. His efforts combined with Antetokounmpo's 43 points and 12 rebounds eventually didn't prove enough, as the Bucks came up short against the Hornets.
Middleton fuctions as a perimeter threat to draw defenses away from the restricted area where Antetetokounmpo dominates. So the Bucks will also need the rest of their shooters to play a role against the Hornets.
Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup
G - Wesley Matthews | G - Khris MIddleton | F - Jordan Nwora | F - Giannis Antetokounmpo | C - Bobby Portis.
Charlotte Hornets Preview
Unlike the Milwaukee Bucks, the Charlotte Hornets will head into this game with a full-strength roster. Coming off a win against Milwaukee, the Hornets are now on a two-game win streak.
The big night from @T_Rozzay3 gives the @hornets the win!
28 PTS | 4 REB | 4 AST | 6 3PM
https://t.co/4aUPBOmvr6
A large part of the Charlotte Hornets' success against the Bucks can be attributed to the combined efforts of Terry Rozier and Miles Bridges at the scoring end.
Combining for 49 points for the Hornets, Rozier shot 60% from beyond the arc on 6-10 shooting, which helped Charlotte's offense. Additionally, the team also saw a near triple-double performance from LaMelo Ball, who recorded 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Charlotte will look to repeat their success against the reigning champions on Monday. With momentum from their previous win, the Hornets will also look to address their free-throw shooting woes to beat the Bucks again.
Key Player - Miles Bridges
In Monday night's game, Miles Bridges could be a key player for the Charlotte Hornets against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Bridges has been an incredible asset for Charlotte this season. While most of last season saw him at the receiving end of highlight lobs by LaMelo Ball, Bridges has emerged as a more complete offensive player this campaign.
MILES BRIDGES 😳
https://t.co/hEaZSQFN3F
Coming off a 21-point performance against the Bucks on Saturday, Bridges was key in supporting Terry Rozier in offense. To beat the Bucks again, the Hornets will need Bridges to be more consistent.
His 9-16 from the field on Saturday away from home was a sign of his efficiency. Heading home, he is due to have a better shooting night from beyond the arc.
Charlotte Hornets Predicted Lineup
G - LaMelo Ball | G - Terry Rozier | F - Miles Bridges | F - Gordon Hayward | C - Mason Plumlee.
Bucks vs Hornets Match Prediction
The Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets game is the marquee matchup of the night. The game could go either way when the reigning champions clash against the rising stars of Charlotte.
While the Hornets had the Bucks' number in the previous matchup, it would be unwise to dismiss the latter's chances. Expect Milwaukee to make adjustments to their schemes to stand a better chance of beating the Hornets.
Nevertheless, even after considering potential changes in the Bucks' scheme and lineup, the Hornets are expected to take this matchup. The absence of a pure point guard in Milwaukee's lineup is a glaring hole in their roster. Against a potential All-Star guard in LaMelo Ball on Monday, the Bucks could well find themselves on the defensive.
Where to watch Bucks vs Hornets game?
The Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets game will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV. The game will also receive local coverage on Bally Sports Southeast. The game will be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform too. Fans can listen to the game by tuning into WFNZ 610 AM/92.5 FM.