Milwaukee Bucks vs Washington Wizards prediction and combined starting 5 - March 13th, 2021
After a tough loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Washington Wizards will host the Milwaukee Bucks on March 13th. The matchup pits the third-best team in the Eastern Conference against the fourth-worst team in the conference during the 2020-21 NBA season.
It will be the first of three matches between the two teams as well as the first of two consecutive games at Washington.
Despite achieving some impressive victories in the last few weeks, the Washington Wizards continue to struggle. Scott Brook's team fell to a Philadelphia team that played without Ben Simmons and even lost Joel Embiid with six minutes left in the third quarter. The Wizards now have a 14-22 record in the current season with five losses in their last eight games.
On the other hand, the Milwaukee Bucks and the two-time reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, Giannis Antetokounmpo have been a little inconsistent in the 2020-21 NBA season. Despite that, they are still fighting for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Washington Wizards prediction - March 13th, 2021
The Milwaukee Bucks have won seven of their last eight games and have a 23-14 record so far. On the other hand, the Washington Wizards are struggling with four losses in their last five outings. Even though their 14-22 record is dismal, the Washington Wizards are still a couple of games behind the fight for the play-in tournament.
The Milwaukee Bucks are 8-9 on the road this season and have lost in three of their last four road games. Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards have a 7-11 record at the Capital One Arena and a 5-15 record against their rivals from the Eastern Conference.
Though the Milwaukee Bucks have been inconsistent, they should still be the favorites heading into this matchup, considering their overall standard. The Bucks are coming off a solid 134-101 win over the New York Knicks that saw Antetokounmpo put up a 24-point triple-double with 10 rebounds and 10 assists in just 29 minutes.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Washington Wizards combined starting 5 - March 13th, 2021
Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal are tasked with steering the Washington Wizards' season in the right direction before it's too late. Both have put up impressive numbers in the 2020-21 NBA season, but have not been able to create victories consistently for the Wizards.
Westbrook is averaging 20 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game so far. Though he has made 44% of his field goals this year, Westbrook is struggling from the three-point line (29%) and especially from the free-throw line (57%). Still, 'Russ' is leading the NBA in triple-doubles with 10 in the 2020-21 NBA season.
Bradley Beal too continues to score at a high level and is leading the NBA with an average of 32.1 points per game. He is also posting 48/33/90 shooting splits in the current campaign, averaging 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for the Washington Wizards.
On the Milwaukee Bucks' end, their newly-formed 'Big Three' has been the team's main tool so far. Jrue Holiday has played well in his new home, even though he had to miss 10 games already this season. He is averaging 15 points and five assists per game with 49/36/77 shooting splits in 27 appearances.
Khris Middleton has had some rough nights in the 2020-21 campaign, but he has been efficient for the Milwaukee Bucks and is posting numbers that should've earned him an All-Star spot. Middleton is averaging 20.4 points per game with 6.1 rebounds and a career-high 5.6 assists per game. Moreover, his shooting has been off the charts and he is posting 49/43/89 shooting splits.
Giannis Antetokounmpo could be a strong candidate for the MVP again if he can continue playing at a high level. Even if the so-called 'voter's fatigue' is a big rival for Giannis in the MVP race, voters might not be able to ignore the numbers he is putting up again.
The reigning MVP and DPOY is putting up 28.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, and six assists per game in the 2020-21 NBA campaign. He is also averaging 1.3 steals and 1.4 blocks per game and has made 56% of his shots so far. Antetokounmpo has struggled from 3P (29%) and the free-throw line (67%) this season, but he has made 75% of his free throws in his last 17 appearances.
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