The Milwaukee Bucks (26-22) travel to face off against the Charlotte Hornets (12-35) on Wednesday, February 5th. This game will be played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte and televised on FDSS. Both the Bucks and Hornets will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Tip off is scheduled for 7:00 ET.
Bucks vs Hornets
The Bucks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
The Bucks dropped to 26-22 on the season after a 125-96 road loss to the Thunder on Monday. Milwaukee entered the game as +17.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 221, falling short of the 226.5 O/U line.
Oklahoma City took control early, going on an 11-0 run to extend their lead from 30-19 to 41-19. The Thunder outscored the Bucks 39-22 in both the 1st and 2nd quarters. Milwaukee showed some fight in the 4th, holding the Thunder to just 9 points, but the damage was done as they trailed 116-75 heading into the final period.
The Hornets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
The Hornets fell to 12-35 on the season after a 124-114 home loss to the Wizards on Monday. Charlotte, favored by 4.5 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 238 exceeded the O/U line of 216 by 22 points.
Washington took control with an 11-0 run, stretching the score from 42-37 to 48-42. They then dominated the 2nd quarter, outscoring Charlotte 46-25. The Hornets responded by winning the 3rd quarter 34-20, but the Wizards held them off in the 4th, edging them 27-26.
Bucks Offense Breakdown
In Monday’s loss to the Thunder, the Bucks managed just 96 points, shooting 37.6% from the field. Their three-point shooting was below average, hitting 33.3% with 13 made threes.
Ryan Rollins led Milwaukee with 16 points, scoring 12 of those in the 3rd quarter. AJ Johnson added 13 points, including 7 in the final period, while Tyler Smith contributed 12 points, 5 of which came in the 4th.
Hornets Offense Breakdown
In their 124-114 loss to the Wizards, the Hornets shot 43.8% from the field and connected on 11 threes at a 37.9% rate. Miles Bridges and Nick Smith Jr. both scored 24 points, with Smith hitting 4 threes at 57.1% efficiency. Mark Williams added 23 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 58.3% from the floor.
Smith was key in the 1st quarter, scoring 11 points, while Bridges added 9 in the 2nd. Williams was a force late, scoring 10 points in both the 3rd and 4th quarters. Vasilije Micić and Josh Green also contributed, with 8 points from Micić in the 3rd and 7 from Green.
Bucks Team Defense
Defensively, the Bucks struggled against the Thunder, giving up 125 points on 51% shooting. Milwaukee allowed 39 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters and 38 in the 3rd, but they tightened up in the 4th, holding Oklahoma City to just 9 points.
From beyond the arc, the Bucks allowed 16 threes on 39% shooting. They sent the Thunder to the line 8 times, where they made 7 free throws. Milwaukee also gave up 14 offensive rebounds while recording 12 steals and 3 blocks.
Hornets Team Defense
The Bucks struggled defensively against the Thunder, giving up 125 points on 51% shooting. Milwaukee allowed 39 points in each of the first two quarters and 38 in the 3rd. They tightened up in the 4th, holding the Thunder to just 9 points.
From beyond the arc, the Bucks allowed 16 threes on 39% shooting. They sent the Thunder to the line just 8 times, where they made 7 free throws. Milwaukee recorded 12 steals and 3 blocks in the game.
Bucks vs Hornets Trends
- Through their last ten road contests, the Bucks offense has averaged 114 points per game while allowing an average of 120. Milwaukee posted an overall record of 4-6 while going 3-7 ATS.
- Charlotte has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 116 points per game while allowing 120. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1-2.
- Through their last three games as the betting underdog, the Hornets have a strong record vs the spread going 2-0-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 0-3.
- Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Bucks have a straight up record of 7-3. But, their mark vs the spread was just 6-4.
Bucks vs Hornets Prediction
We’re backing the Bucks for a victory, with the projected score at 139-74. Additionally, we favor them to cover the spread, so we recommend placing a bet on the Bucks at -9.5.
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 220, and our model projects the Bucks and Hornets to reach a combined total of 213 points. Our bet is on taking the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:February 5, 2025 Bucks, Hornets