Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/29
Preview: Houston At Milwaukee
When: 8:00 PM ET, Monday, February 29, 2016
Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Houston Rockets are having trouble stringing wins together and are leaving the door open for any team that may step up to challenge them for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Rockets will try to avoid their ninth loss in 13 games when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
Houston began a stretch with 11 of 13 games on the road prior to the All-Star break and has so far earned only two wins in that span against four losses. The Rockets failed to take advantage of one of the few home games in that stretch with a 104-94 loss to San Antonio on Saturday that dropped them one game below .500 and left their lead over the Utah Jazz at a half-game for the No. 8 spot in the West. The Bucks are much further from playoff contention and are searching for some consistency as coach Jason Kidd hands more responsibility to younger players. “It’s always something; different things, different games,” Milwaukee center Miles Plumlee told reporters. “As we keep saying; we’re a young group, but we’ve got to put it all together. It’s been a long year. I think guys have learned a lot and we just have to go out and play.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (29-30): Houston fell behind by as much as 31 points against San Antonio and never led in the game, looking like a different team than the one that rallied to a win in Portland on Thursday. “We’re capable of anything,” forward Josh Smith told ESPN.com. “We just got to be able to stay positive and stay with the process.” That process leans heavily on star guard James Harden, who has played over 40 minutes in each of the last three games and is averaging 38.3 points in that span.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (24-35): Milwaukee was outscored by 10 points in the first quarter of each of the last two games and never managed to climb all the way out of either hole in falling to the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. “It’s always a concern when we’re losing,” Plumlee told reporters of the slow starts. “We just have to come out with more energy from the get-go. I think we’re fighting to get back into these games. We’ve got to come out with more energy in our coverages, finish on the rebounds, and all facets of the game.” Plumlee is serving as the starting center while Greg Monroe comes off the bench to lead the second unit.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bucks G Jerryd Bayless (knee) sat out each of the last five games but was expected to return to practice on Sunday and is day-to-day.
2. Smith is 9-of-47 from the field in the last eight games.
3. Harden had 30 points and eight assists in Houston’s 102-98 home win over Milwaukee on Jan. 22.
PREDICTION: Bucks 111, Rockets 107
Preview: Houston At Milwaukee
When: 8:00 PM ET, Monday, February 29, 2016
Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Houston Rockets are having trouble stringing wins together and are leaving the door open for any team that may step up to challenge them for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Rockets will try to avoid their ninth loss in 13 games when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
Houston began a stretch with 11 of 13 games on the road prior to the All-Star break and has so far earned only two wins in that span against four losses. The Rockets failed to take advantage of one of the few home games in that stretch with a 104-94 loss to San Antonio on Saturday that dropped them one game below .500 and left their lead over the Utah Jazz at a half-game for the No. 8 spot in the West. The Bucks are much further from playoff contention and are searching for some consistency as coach Jason Kidd hands more responsibility to younger players. “It’s always something; different things, different games,” Milwaukee center Miles Plumlee told reporters. “As we keep saying; we’re a young group, but we’ve got to put it all together. It’s been a long year. I think guys have learned a lot and we just have to go out and play.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (29-30): Houston fell behind by as much as 31 points against San Antonio and never led in the game, looking like a different team than the one that rallied to a win in Portland on Thursday. “We’re capable of anything,” forward Josh Smith told ESPN.com. “We just got to be able to stay positive and stay with the process.” That process leans heavily on star guard James Harden, who has played over 40 minutes in each of the last three games and is averaging 38.3 points in that span.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (24-35): Milwaukee was outscored by 10 points in the first quarter of each of the last two games and never managed to climb all the way out of either hole in falling to the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. “It’s always a concern when we’re losing,” Plumlee told reporters of the slow starts. “We just have to come out with more energy from the get-go. I think we’re fighting to get back into these games. We’ve got to come out with more energy in our coverages, finish on the rebounds, and all facets of the game.” Plumlee is serving as the starting center while Greg Monroe comes off the bench to lead the second unit.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bucks G Jerryd Bayless (knee) sat out each of the last five games but was expected to return to practice on Sunday and is day-to-day.
2. Smith is 9-of-47 from the field in the last eight games.
3. Harden had 30 points and eight assists in Houston’s 102-98 home win over Milwaukee on Jan. 22.
PREDICTION: Bucks 111, Rockets 107
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