Orlando Magic vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction & Picks - NBA

Prediction published on 4/10/24, 12:47 PM  by Lou Aguila | Modified on 4/10/24 at 2:50 PM in NBA Picks

Milwaukee Bucks looks to strengthen their grip on the No.2 spot in the Eastern Conference standings as they host the Orlando Magic on April 10, 8:00 pm US EST, at Fiserv Forum.

After claiming a morale-boosting win over conference rivals Celtics on April 9, the Bucks look to build more momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

Bookmakers are bracing for a tight battle between Milwaukee and the surging Magic, putting the road team a slight -1.5 favorites with Giannis Antetokounmpo's availability still up in the air.

The Orlando Magic:

It has been a roller-coaster ride for the Magic in the past week as they split their last four games in alternating patterns. Orlando won their assignments against postseason teams like the New Orleans Pelicans and the Chicago Bulls and lost to lottery-bound teams such as the Houston Rockets and Charlotte Hornets. During this stretch, Paolo Banchero continued to bolster his bid for an All-NBA selection as he dropped 32, 24, 21 in the last three games.

The Milwaukee Bucks:

The Bucks avoided a major setback when an MRI on Giannis Antetokounmpo's right calf came up negative. The MVP candidate injured his calf late in the third quarter in a pivotal 104-91 victory over the Boston Celtics. Antetokounmpo finished with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists before being shut down for the rest of the game.

Doc Rivers, the Bucks' head coach, introduced his new starting lineup, promoting Patrick Beverley in place of Malik Monk. The veteran point guard capitalized on the opportunity, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 26 minutes of action.