Charlotte Hornets vs Milwaukee Bucks, NBA 2024-25 Season, Today Match Prediction

Charlotte Hornets vs Milwaukee Bucks Basteball Odds

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Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets are 4th in the Southeast Division and 11th in the Eastern Conference and their current record in the 2024-25 NBA season is 4-7. In their last game against the Magic, the Hornets lost by 25 points (89-114). LaMelo Ball scored 16 of his 35 points in the first quarter for the Hornets in the opening round of Group A play in the NBA Cup. Coming off a career-high 38 points in Sunday’s overtime loss at Philadelphia, Ball added six rebounds and seven assists. 

Greg Williams scored 15 points, and Moussa Diabate had 12 points and 15 rebounds for Charlotte. Ball’s big first quarter (16 points, two assists) and 3-point shooting (10 of 21) kept the Hornets in the game despite 10 turnovers in the second quarter. However, the shots stopped falling, and Charlotte quickly fell behind by 23.

For the upcoming match against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Hornets will focus on pushing the pace. Utilizing LaMelo Ball’s playmaking in fast breaks can help exploit the Bucks' transition defense and create scoring opportunities. Effective perimeter shooting will help the Hornets spread the floor and counter the Bucks' interior defense, opening lanes for drives and kick-outs. 

Key players like LaMelo Ball are integral to Charlotte’s offense, as they provide playmaking and shooting that keep the Bucks' defense stretched, preventing them from focusing solely on the interior. Defensively, the Hornets will attempt to limit Damian Lillard’s touches near the basket by applying pressure on the ball and trying to force turnovers. 

The defensive focus will be on Giannis Antetokounmpo, using double-teams or packing the paint to limit his impact. The Hornets will contest three-point shots aggressively, as the Bucks excel in outside shooting. Emphasis will also be placed on boxing out to neutralize Milwaukee's size advantage on the boards.

The Hornets, on average, score 107.6 points per game. They score 43% from the field and are ranked 30th in the league, and 35% from the arc, ranked 19th in the league. They average 46.2 rebounds per game and are ranked 7th in the league this season.

Injuries -  Mark Williams: Questionable (Foot), Tre Mann: Questionable (Back), Miles Bridges: Questionable (Knee), DaQuan Jeffries: Questionable (Hand), Nick Richards: Out (Ribs)

Charlotte Hornets Player Props Predictions

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are 5th in the Central Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. The record of the Bucks in the 2024-25 NBA season is 4-8. In their recent matchup against the Pistons, they won by 7 points (127-120 OT). Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 59 points, a league-high for points by an NBA player this season and the second-highest single-game total for Antetokounmpo, who had 64 against Indiana last season. 

Antetokounmpo hit 21 of 34 shots and 16 of 17 free throws, adding 14 rebounds and seven assists as the Bucks rallied from an 18-point second-half deficit. Brook Lopez added 29 points for the Bucks. Milwaukee played without Damian Lillard (concussion protocol), Ryan Rollins (left shoulder instability), and Bobby Portis (right elbow contusion). Antetokounmpo made every basket for Milwaukee in the first quarter, hitting 7 of 10 field-goal attempts and all eight of his free throws for 22 of the team’s 24 points. The Bucks improved to 22-1 against Detroit since the 2018-19 season and won their 10th straight in the series.

The next match is against the Charlotte Hornets. The Bucks will look to control the paint, as they have strong inside players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez. They should focus on dominating the interior, pressuring Charlotte’s ball handlers, especially LaMelo Ball, to limit playmaking opportunities. Controlling the boards to prevent second-chance points and fuel fast breaks will be key. With shooters like Damian Lillard, they should stretch the floor and create space. They will aim to use Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominance in the paint to overpower Charlotte’s defense.

The Bucks, on average, score 111 points per game. They score 46.9% from the field and are ranked 11th in the league, and 35.3% from the arc, ranked 17th in the league. They average 44 rebounds per game and are ranked 12th in the league.

Injuries - Khris Middleton: Out (Ankle), Ryan Rollins: Questionable (Shoulder), Damian Lillard: Questionable (Concussion Protocol)

Milwaukee Bucks Player Props Predictions

Milwaukee Bucks Spread Predictions

Charlotte Hornets vs Milwaukee Bucks Starting Lineups

Charlotte Hornets vs Milwaukee Bucks Match Prediction & Analysis

The Hornets are 3-3-0 against the spread this year, with their games going over 226.5 total points in three of their six matchups. However, they have not won a game when entering as a moneyline underdog with odds of +350 or longer, having lost both such opportunities. The Bucks, on the other hand, have only one win against the spread in six games this season. They and their opponents have combined to score more than 230.5 points twice this year. Additionally, the Bucks have been the moneyline underdog only once so far this season, a game they lost.

Charlotte Hornets vs Milwaukee Bucks Over/Under Predictions

Charlotte Hornets vs Milwaukee Bucks Player Stats