The New York Knicks are still battling for the final playoffs spots in the East. They are currently in seventh but there are more than enough games left to get caught on the outside looking in if they stumble down the stretch.
The Magic are still without their big gun in Dwight Howard, but they have still won 2 straight and have clinched a playoff berth.
Boston just finished a back-to-back-to-back scheduling spot Sunday. The Knicks had a difficult fourth quarter Sunday afternoon and they dropped a tough home game to the Miami Heat.
The San Antonio Spurs are enjoying a sneaky good season.
The Magic are coming off a win, but they have only gone 3-7 in their last 10 games and without Superman Dwight Howard in the lineup they have struggled.
The Clippers are surging winners of 3 straight and 8 of their last 10 and on top of that they beat the Thunder last week. The Thunder are still in the top spot in the Western Conference, but they only have a slim 1-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs.
The Rockets have lost 2 straight home games and they could really use a win tonight facing the Suns, as they are tied with the Nuggets for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference and they only lead the Jazz by 1.5 games and the Suns by 2 games.
The Washington Wizards are on a rare two game winning streak heading into New York Friday night.
These are the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. There is a good likelihood that they’ll meet up in the playoffs with a lot at stake. Derrick Rose re-injured his ankle Sunday and missed the Bulls last game.
Until someone knocks them off, the Dallas Mavericks are still the defending NBA Champions. Dallas has struggled all year, and they aren’t even guaranteed a playoff spot quite yet.
The jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference playoff standings is in full form right now.
The Golden State Warriors are coming off an interesting last couple of games. They have played Denver twice, winning by 15 at home and them losing by a whopping 39 points on the road.
A single game separates the Knicks and the Bucks for the last playoff spot in the East with New York trying to hang on to make the post-season.
The Boston Celtics are looking to finish strong. They have won their last two games by 14 and 24 points and 7 of their last 9.
With their solid play as of late the Suns are now only 1 game behind the Nuggets for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference and they have a good chance to gain more ground facing a Timberwolves’ team that has lost 5 straight.
NBA Basketball Matchup: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Milwaukee Bucks
8:00 PM EST
NBA Gambling Odds from Bovada
NBA Betting Favorite: Oklahoma City -3
Over/Under: 210
Oklahoma City has owned the top spot in the Western Conference by themselves almost all year, but the Spurs 11-game win streak has helped them tie the Thunder at the top spot. Milwaukee is battling hard with New York and Philadelphia for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Both teams have plenty to play for in this one.
The Thunder took care of an undermanned Toronto team on Sunday, but the task will be more difficult Monday night in Milwaukee.
Oklahoma City is so tough to stop because they have three guys who can take over a game at any point. Kevin Durant is the team’s leading scorer at 28.7 points per game. He shoots 50.5% from the floor. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Russell Westbrook is averaging 24.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game. James Harden has taken his game to another level this year, and I expect him to be named the Sixth Man of the Year. Oklahoma City has improved this year largely due to their defense. The Thunder are allowing opponents to shoot just 42.5% from the floor.
Before the season, Scott Skiles decided it would be beneficial for his Milwaukee team to push the tempo and score in transition. When the team picked up Monta Ellis at the trade deadline it helped them find a whole new gear on offense.
With Brandon Jennings and Ellis in the backcourt, the Bucks have two guards who can fill it up consistently. Ersan Ilyasova is having a breakout season for the team. Ilyasova averages 12.9 points and 8.9 boards per game. Drew Gooden does a lot of the dirty work in the paint as well.
Gooden averages 13.9 points per game, and he is a solid post defender. The Bucks have scored 100 points or more in seven of their last ten games.
Oklahoma City has the better defense, and I think they’ll come up with a big stop or two at the end to pull out a close win.
Prediction: Oklahoma City 109 Milwaukee 106
