While most of the attention is on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, the player the Milwaukee Bucks sent to the Washington Wizards last season is set up for an excellent revenge spot on Thursday. With Giannis Antetokounmpo out, the Bucks’ defense takes a significant hit, and few players are more familiar with Milwaukee’s schemes and individual defensive tendencies than Khris Middleton. Middleton has ramped things up recently, logging over 25 minutes and taking double-digit field-goal attempts in each of his last five games. With Alex Sarr listed as questionable, there could be even more usage available than we’re currently projecting for Middleton. At +102, this number represents strong value, as I believe it should be priced much closer to -145.
Myles Turner was averaging 5.3 rebounds on 11.9 rebounding chances but saw those opportunities jump to 13.0 in the first game without Giannis. Washington enters as the worst rebounding team in the NBA, sitting 29th in rebound rate and watching foes round up a league-high 56.9 boards per contest. Turner snatched seven rebounds in his last meeting with the Wizards and opened the season with eight boards versus the Wiz back in October. Player models for Thursday’s trip to D.C. peg Turner’s rebounding tally between 6.7 and nine, with my number at 7.4 boards.
Total PicksMIL 154, WAS 167
midsro49 is #1 on picking games that Washington is in with a record of (24-16-1) and +11100 units on the season.
YIAYIA is #1 on picking games that Milwaukee is in with a record of (25-18-0) and +13480 units on the season.
livelywee55 is #10 on picking games that Milwaukee is in with a record of (26-17-0) and +6300 units on the season.
dawgs91 is #10 on picking games that Washington is in with a record of (21-14-0) and +6650 units on the season.
Nittanymac5800 is #2 on picking games that Milwaukee is in with a record of (27-15-0) and +8950 units on the season.
nextclique is #2 on picking games that Washington is in with a record of (27-11-1) and +10700 units on the season.
TJJohnson03 is #3 on picking games that Milwaukee is in with a record of (28-14-0) and +8950 units on the season.
andrew1981 is #3 on picking games that Washington is in with a record of (22-11-0) and +9700 units on the season.
lsbellmom is #4 on picking games that Milwaukee is in with a record of (28-16-1) and +8300 units on the season.
Dadam915 is #4 on picking games that Washington is in with a record of (21-13-0) and +7250 units on the season.
harrisonian175 is #6 on picking games that Milwaukee is in with a record of (21-13-0) and +6750 units on the season.
Falcon4242 is #6 on picking games that Washington is in with a record of (25-16-1) and +6900 units on the season.
fadennis6 is #7 on picking games that Washington is in with a record of (25-17-0) and +6800 units on the season.
OyceOyce is #8 on picking games that Milwaukee is in with a record of (13-14-0) and +6450 units on the season.
Foodbank is #9 on picking games that Milwaukee is in with a record of (26-14-0) and +6400 units on the season.
PAS13 is #9 on picking games that Washington is in with a record of (17-7-0) and +6650 units on the season.