Milwaukee vs Orlando Prediction 16 January 2025

Which team will finish higher in the Eastern Conference of the NBA? The Milwaukee Bucks have three fewer wins but have played fewer games. Therefore, the win percentage between the teams is quite close. The Orlando Magic have significant roster losses, although this hasn't stopped them from being in the playoff zone. However, competitors are closing in, so the battle for the top 6 in the East is still ahead. Note that the match will take place at the "Fiserv Forum" arena. On our part, we will consider different options to make the prediction optimal.

Head-to-Head

In a stretch of 52 head-to-head matches, Milwaukee has the advantage. The team has 37 wins. Two of them came in the current regular season. In December, the Bucks were stronger at home (114:109), and a few days ago they succeeded on the road (109:106). In the last game, Paolo Banchero returned to the court after missing half of Orlando's games due to injury. He scored 34 points, but it wasn't enough for a victory. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard played excellently for Milwaukee, contributing a total of 70 points for their team.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks became the second holders of the NBA Cup, which was held mid-season. It is highly likely that this trophy will be their only one this season. The team has two star players, but that's about it. Achieving success in the East with weak role players is unrealistic. Nevertheless, the guys have won three games in a row. However, after a successful match against Orlando, they couldn't stand up to New York (106:140). Antetokounmpo and Lillard scored just over 20 points each, with Khris Middleton adding another 16. However, he will not play in the upcoming game due to injury. Gary Trent Jr.'s participation is also questionable.

Orlando Magic

Orlando has only three wins in seven January games. This can be explained by roster losses. It's enough to say that in a recent game against Philadelphia, there were six players on the injured list, including the Wagner brothers, Jalen Suggs, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, which means four out of the team's six most productive players were out. Fortunately, Paolo Banchero is back in action. In the game against Philadelphia, he wasn't as good as he was against Milwaukee, scoring only 20 points. However, Cole Anthony became the top scorer with 27 points, exceeding his season average by 3.5 times. This allowed Orlando to secure a very tough victory (104:99).

Match Prediction

The head-to-head statistics favor Milwaukee. Moreover, the team has already defeated Orlando twice this season, albeit by no more than five points difference. The Bucks have won 18 out of the last 20 head-to-head matches. They are highly likely to be stronger in the upcoming match as well, but it's unlikely they will achieve a large advantage. The visitors are still quite good defensively. Therefore, as a key bet, we suggest Orlando to win with a +6.5 handicap.