3rd Quarter Report
Down three at the end of the second quarter, the Bucks now have the lead. They have jumped out to a 94-93 lead against the Trail Blazers. The finale is shaping up to be a lot like these teams’ last head-to-head, which was decided by just three points.
The Bucks came into the matchup with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
Portland Trail Blazers @ Milwaukee Bucks
Current Records: Portland 11-22, Milwaukee 17-15
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Fiserv Forum — Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- TV: FanDuel SN – Wisconsin
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $24.74
What to Know
The Bucks will be playing the full four quarters on Saturday, but they’re expected to have things wrapped up well before that. They will host the Portland Trail Blazers at 8:00 p.m. ET at Fiserv Forum. Given that both suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
The Bucks are headed into the matchup having just suffered their closest defeat since November 4, 2024 on Thursday. They fell just short of the Nets by a score of 113-110. The close game was extra heartbreaking for Milwaukee, who almost overcame a 24 point deficit.
Giannis Antetokounmpo put forth a good effort for the losing side as he dropped a double-double on 27 points and 13 rebounds. The contest was his 13th in a row with at least 30 points.
Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers traveled a rocky road last season, and unfortunately for them the road hasn’t gotten any smoother so far this season. They opened the new year with a less-than-successful 114-106 loss to the Lakers. Portland has now taken an ‘L’ in back-to-back games.
Milwaukee has been struggling recently as they’ve lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 17-15 record this season. As for Portland, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-22.
Keep an eye on the arc in Saturday’s matchup: The Bucks have been dynamite from deep this season, having drained 38.5% of their threes per game. It’s a different story for the Trail Blazers, though, as they’ve only made 33.2% of their threes this season. Given the Bucks’ sizable advantage in that area, the Trail Blazers will need to find a way to close that gap.
The Bucks couldn’t quite finish off the Trail Blazers when the teams last played back in January of 2024 and fell 119-116. Will the Bucks have more luck at home instead of on the road?
Odds
Milwaukee is a big 12.5-point favorite against Portland, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Bucks as a 11.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 227.5 points.
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Series History
Milwaukee has won 8 out of their last 10 games against Portland.
- Jan 31, 2024 – Portland 119 vs. Milwaukee 116
- Nov 26, 2023 – Milwaukee 108 vs. Portland 102
- Feb 06, 2023 – Milwaukee 127 vs. Portland 108
- Nov 21, 2022 – Milwaukee 119 vs. Portland 111
- Feb 14, 2022 – Portland 122 vs. Milwaukee 107
- Feb 05, 2022 – Milwaukee 137 vs. Portland 108
- Apr 02, 2021 – Milwaukee 127 vs. Portland 109
- Feb 01, 2021 – Milwaukee 134 vs. Portland 106
- Jan 11, 2020 – Milwaukee 122 vs. Portland 101
- Nov 21, 2019 – Milwaukee 137 vs. Portland 129
