Back Milwaukee Bucks (+7½) at Orlando Magic
Game Time: 10/31/2007 07:05 PM -
By: Matt Fargo | 10starpicks.com
The Bucks were awful last season, with injuries playing a big role. Now healthy and deeper, Milwaukee will bounce back nicely and they are the play in Orlando tonight.
This line is based on last year and last year only. The Milwaukee Bucks finished with the second worst record in the Eastern Conference and third worst record in the entire league, piling up only 28 wins.
It wasn’t as though Milwaukee was a bad team and couldn’t compete but the fact that the team was absolutely decimated with injuries. The starters missed 184 games, including the entire season from Bobby Simmons. Everyone is healthy and new additions will make the Bucks a stronger team.
Taking the place of starters Simmons and Charlie Villanueva are rookie Yi Jianlian and seven-year veteran Desmond Mason, who makes his return to Milwaukee after two years with the Hornets. Simmons and Villanueva will be coming off the bench making the Bucks a very deep team. Most importantly, shooting guard Michael Redd and point guard Mo Williams are healthy. The Bucks will likely be pursuing the seventh or eighth spot in the playoffs along with tonight’s opponent.
The Orlando Magic started strong last season with a 13-4 burst but concluded the season going just 27-38 before being swept in the playoffs by the Detroit Pistons. Orlando acquired Rashard Lewis in the offseason to give the offense some firepower, but does he really make the team better? He and Ray Allen gave the Sonics a lethal 1-2 scoring punch for 4½ seasons, but reached the playoffs just once. Dwight Howard is a future superstar but the backcourt remains a question mark.
There is not much of a difference between these two teams from top to bottom. Orlando will have the luxury of playing in the much easier Southeast Division while Milwaukee has to deal with Detroit, Cleveland and Chicago in the Central, all of whom finished with a better record than the Southeast champions Miami Heat last season. Orlando is picked by many to win the division while Milwaukee is picked to finish last in the Central, but based on strength, it means nothing.
There is too much overlay here as Milwaukee hangs. Play the Milwaukee Bucks for a unit.
Free Pick: Bucks +7½ (-110)
Game Time: 10/31/2007 07:05 PM -
By: Matt Fargo | 10starpicks.com
The Bucks were awful last season, with injuries playing a big role. Now healthy and deeper, Milwaukee will bounce back nicely and they are the play in Orlando tonight.
This line is based on last year and last year only. The Milwaukee Bucks finished with the second worst record in the Eastern Conference and third worst record in the entire league, piling up only 28 wins.
It wasn’t as though Milwaukee was a bad team and couldn’t compete but the fact that the team was absolutely decimated with injuries. The starters missed 184 games, including the entire season from Bobby Simmons. Everyone is healthy and new additions will make the Bucks a stronger team.
Taking the place of starters Simmons and Charlie Villanueva are rookie Yi Jianlian and seven-year veteran Desmond Mason, who makes his return to Milwaukee after two years with the Hornets. Simmons and Villanueva will be coming off the bench making the Bucks a very deep team. Most importantly, shooting guard Michael Redd and point guard Mo Williams are healthy. The Bucks will likely be pursuing the seventh or eighth spot in the playoffs along with tonight’s opponent.
The Orlando Magic started strong last season with a 13-4 burst but concluded the season going just 27-38 before being swept in the playoffs by the Detroit Pistons. Orlando acquired Rashard Lewis in the offseason to give the offense some firepower, but does he really make the team better? He and Ray Allen gave the Sonics a lethal 1-2 scoring punch for 4½ seasons, but reached the playoffs just once. Dwight Howard is a future superstar but the backcourt remains a question mark.
There is not much of a difference between these two teams from top to bottom. Orlando will have the luxury of playing in the much easier Southeast Division while Milwaukee has to deal with Detroit, Cleveland and Chicago in the Central, all of whom finished with a better record than the Southeast champions Miami Heat last season. Orlando is picked by many to win the division while Milwaukee is picked to finish last in the Central, but based on strength, it means nothing.
There is too much overlay here as Milwaukee hangs. Play the Milwaukee Bucks for a unit.
Free Pick: Bucks +7½ (-110)