Portland Trail Blazers vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction & Match Preview - February 14th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

The visiting Portland Trail Blazers are hoping to even the season series against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. [Photo: NBC Sports]

The Portland Trail Blazers will have a rematch against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks on Monday at Fiserv Forum. Milwaukee wallopped Portland in thetwo teams’ previous meeting, winning 108-137.

Following the trade deadline, the Portland Trail Blazers are now on a two-game winning run. They stunned LeBron James and the LA Lakers before pulling off another upset against the New York Knicks. Despite trading their best players a few days ago, they’ll be hopeful of securing another improbable win this Monday.

The Milwaukee Bucks had a disappointing outing in their previous game after getting humiliated by the Phoenix Suns in a rematch of last year’s NBA Finals. Giannis Antetokounmpo probably played his worst game in two years as he only finished with 18 points on 14 shots along with seven rebounds and eight assists.

It's official.

@sergeibaka is a Buck. 😤 https://t.co/QKx3B1ZZvh

After such a disastrous performance in what was a heavily-anticipated matchup, look for the Milwaukee Bucks to take their frustrations out on the retooled Blazers.

Match Details

Fixture: Portland Trail Blazers vs Milwaukee Bucks | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Monday, February 14th; 8:00 PM ET (Tuesday, February 15th; 6:30 PM IST)

Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI

Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are almost unrecognizable and were a team that looked like it was done for the season just a few days ago. After trading several key pieces, they have played carefree and free-flowing basketball. Behind crafty guard Anfernee Simons and the bruising big man Jusuf Nurkic, the team is having fun and winning at the same time.

One of the changes that easily stands out after the trade deadline is the Portland Trail Blazers’ newfound resilience. They kept it close against the LA Lakers, winning by a two-point margin before rallying from a 23-point deficit to stun the New York Knicks.

The Portland Trail Blazers are showing more heart and hustle in the last few games than the entire season. The fans will appreciate how much effort they have put into their game despite playing against the odds.

Key Player - Anfernee Simons

The Portland Trail Blazers have seemingly bet all their chips on Anfernee Simons becoming the future face of the franchise as they position themselves for a rebuild. Without Damian Lillard (who underwent abdominal surgery in January), head coach Chauncy Billups is letting the 22-year-old combo guard run the show. Despite some mistakes by the youngster, Billups has stuck with his budding star and has been greatly repaid.

Anfernee Simons today:

30 points
8 assists
5 rebounds
48% FG
6/12 3PT

He’s him 🔥 https://t.co/WyB0SQ5gsR

Simons’ development has given the Portland Trail Blazers plenty of flexibility and options in terms of their rotation moving forward. His heads-up play and aggressiveness are already creating a buzz in Rip City. He’ll be relied upon by the team once again when they come up against the Milwaukee Bucks’ imposing presence and championship pedigree.

Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup

G - Anfernee Simons | G - CJ Elleby | F - Josh Hart | F - Justise Winslow | C - Jusuf Nurkic

Check this out - Barstool: 2 for 1 New Player Bonus

Milwaukee Bucks Preview

The Milwaukee Bucks were humiliated by the Phoenix Suns in their last game. [Photo:YouTube]

The Milwaukee Bucks had a big letdown against the Phoenix Suns in a repeat of last year’s NBA Finals. After a close first quarter, the Bucks had no answers to questions posed by the Suns on both sides of the ball, going down 131-107. It was likely a wake-up call for Milwaukee, who could face Phoenix again should both teams make back-to-back finals appearances.

George Hill will miss another game due to neck soreness but the Milwaukee Bucks will welcome new addition Serge Ibaka. Ibaka, who’s a veteran and big-time performer, could elevate the Bucks’ performance as the season approaches the business end, starting with the game against the Blazers.

The Bucks "Big 3" of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are all expected to bounce back in this game against the Blazers, following a blowout loss to the Suns.

Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo should be seething with frustration after the debacle against Phoenix. "The Greek Freak" went five-of-14 from the field and looked out of sync all night. The Milwaukee Bucks have ruled him as probable due to ankle soreness. While Milwaukee might err on the side of caution and decide to rule him out, he will likely be straining at the leash for the opportunity to redeem himself.

Players with 40+ points with 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 0 turnovers in an #NBA game since 2009:

Giannis Antetokounmpo 2/8/2022

Giannis Antetokounmpo 11/25/2019

Giannis Antetokounmpo 4/4/2019 https://t.co/2ZDK3mxiFv

The All-Star starter for the Milwaukee Bucks is averaging MVP numbers this season. Antetokounmpo is posting avereges of 29 points, 11.2 rebounds, (a career-high) 6.0 assists and 1.4 blocks per contest. Even a less than 100% Antetokounmpo will be trouble for most teams, including the Portland Trail Blazers’ newly-formed lineup.

Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup

G - Jrue Holiday | G - Grayson Allen | F - Khris Middleton | F - Giannis Antetokounmpo | C - Bobby Portis

Blazers vs Bucks Match Prediction

Should the Bucks keep Giannis Antetokounmpo from playing due to a left ankle injury, they will still be heavily favored to win against the Blazers. Milwaukee simply has too much depth and plays with better execution on both ends of the floor.

The Bucks will look to get back in the victory column and could end the Blazers’ modest two-game winning run.

Where to watch the Blazers vs Bucks game

The NBA League Pass will stream the game live. Local coverage of the matchup is available via ROOT-SP and Bally Sports Wisconsin.

Check this out - Barstool: 2 for 1 New Player Bonus