Milwaukee Bucks: 3 keys to victory when hosting Portland Trail Blazers
By Dalton Sell
Currently in the middle of a two-game losing skid, the Milwaukee Bucks need to get back on track with a win against the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.
The Blazers are 10-8 on the season, sitting at seventh in the Western Conference standings. Their play has been inconsistent as of late with a 3-3 record in their last six contests. Meanwhile, the Bucks have not been much better as they’re coming off an abysmal three-game road trip in which they went just 1-2.
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These two postseason contenders have been struggling mightily to find any rhythm lately, and this game will be a measuring stick for both sides.
Hopefully, heading back home to Fiserv Forum can spark some life into the Bucks to avoid a rare three-game losing streak. The Bucks will face a tall task in getting back into the win column, but here are three keys to victory against the Blazers to help them do so.
First key to victory when hosting Portland Trail Blazers – Milwaukee Bucks need to capitalize on the fastbreak
The Bucks are one of the best transition teams in the association by scoring the second-most points per game on fastbreak opportunities (16.3).
Capitalizing on those opportunities will be crucial against the Trail Blazers, who are one of the worst defensive teams on the break this year. Portland is letting up 15 fastbreak points per game this season, the third-highest mark in the NBA.
Milwaukee loves getting out in the open court, and they will need to exploit this weakness to put extra points on the scoreboard. Giannis Antetokounmpo has proven to be a one-man wrecking crew on the break, leading the league in possessions in transition with an impressive 7.9 per game.
Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and the rest of the supporting cast will also get their share of looks, and taking advantage of those opportunities will be critical.