Detroit Pistons vs. Milwaukee Bucks
A winning streak is bound to be stopped Wednesday when these two collide in Milwaukee as the Detroit Pistons continue to stay hot. The Milwaukee Bucks have not lost since a trade with the Phoenix Suns, gaining Eric Bledsoe in exchange for Greg Monroe. This is the second of four matchups between these two teams this season, the first resulting in a 106-95 win for the Pistons.
Tobias Harris has been on fire from beyond the arc, shooting 50.6 percent on the season; his improvement from last year’s 34.7 percent 3-point average is a big reason the Pistons continue to roll in the East, as the team currently finds itself second in the conference.
After losing four straight, the Bucks figured it was time for their annual midseason trade, in which the team acquired Eric Bledsoe. He said was very unhappy with the Phoenix Suns organization and is now on a team that is a perennial contender in the East Conference. The Bucks won three straight since his acquisition. Bledsoe is averaging 14.3 points per game since joining his new team.
The matchup will be at 7 p.m. tonight at BMO Harris Bradley Center.
Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics
Without question, this is the best matchup of the week. The two hottest teams in the league collide for the must-watch game of the week. The Boston Celtics’ twelve-game win streak and the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game win streak will both be on the line in this one.
During the Warriors’ seven-game win streak, five of the teams beaten are in the top half of their respective conferences. A win on Thursday for the Dubs would prove the team has hit midseason form early.
After getting hit hard in the face by his own teammate during the 95-94 win over the Toronto Raptors, Kyrie Irving is listed as probable for playing the Warriors. This is good news for Boston fans, especially since he is still the team’s leading scorer, averaging 20.3 points per game.
This marquee matchup will take place Thursday in Boston, tipping off at 7 p.m. on TNT.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs
The slumping Oklahoma City will try to improve on a small two-game win streak after falling under .500 for the season. The San Antonio Spurs’ season has also gotten off to less-than-ideal start. Something will go right for one of these teams Friday night.
The Thunder lost four straight games, with three of those opponents being over .500 at the time. Since then, the team was able to get two wins over underperforming teams and are looking to bring that momentum to San Antonio. It may be too early for this to be considered a “must-win game,” but it sure will feel like one for the road team. The struggling Thunder are 0-5 against opponents in the Northwest Division.
Although the Spurs team is third in the conference and has won four of its last five games, the Spurs have had problems of consistent play early this season; the team started the season 4-0 only to lose the next four straight. Hopefully, the Spurs can hit a stride of consistent, solid play some point in the season, and they have a chance to do that against the Thunder.
The game will be played Friday at 7 p.m. in San Antonio. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
