The regular NBA season is ending, and we only have around 20-25 games left before the playoffs begin! This is a time where the games are crucial and playoff spots can be won and lost. Teams are vying for position, trying to avoid the play-in tournament and grappling for ranks to get better first round matchups in the playoffs.
Two teams that don’t really have this issue are the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. They are polar opposites in the Eastern conference, claiming both the top and bottom seeds respectively. These two teams will face off against each other for the last time on April 1 st . Below we discuss what we can expect from this April Fools’ Day matchup.
We look at the form of both teams so that you can make informed decisions for sports betting or when using online casinos like BetMGM. This includes their previous games, how the teams shape up against each other and who are likely to be the stars if you want to make detailed bets such as most points or rebounds.
The Milwaukee Bucks – Top Of The East And In Terrific Form
The Bucks are currently the top seed in the Eastern conference and rightfully so! Boston has been sitting pretty for too long and everyone has been riding Tatum like he is the next coming of Christ. At the time of writing this, the Bucks are actually 2.5 games in front of Boston. If their form continues, they are certain to finish at least second.
Ideally, they will finish first in the East and beating Detroit will help them do this. With a first seed finish, they could face someone like the Atlanta Hawks who shouldn’t really pose a problem for them.
Giannis has had a few injuries recently but his amazing 40 point double-double against the Kings showed that he is still right up there in the MVP discussions. More importantly though, Kris Middleton appears to be regaining form and he had an efficient 31 points against the Kings too, which is one of his best performances this season.
As things stand, the Bucks are looking really strong. Jrue is playing up to his All-Star selection level, Lopez is dominating the paint and is arguably one of the best interior defenders in the league, and the role players like Ingles, Portis and Allen are all playing really well.
The Detroit Pistons – Struggling In Last Place In The Eastern Conference
Detroit is pretty bad and we can’t sugar coat it really. Let’s face it – they are one of the clear teams who are tanking for epic draft prospect Victor Wembanyama and it shows from their poor record and form. They are bottom in the East and have the worst NBA record – even worse than the awful Houston Rockets so that’s saying something!
They do have plenty of potential with players such as Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Killian Hayes and Bojan Bogdanovic, but the team simply lacks experience and they are one of the youngest teams in the NBA. It shows, and when it comes to the crunch, they simply don’t have what it takes to consistently compete with the big names like Milwaukee, Boston and Cleveland.
At the time of writing, their last 10 games were pretty poor with just one win and nine losses. They just can’t seem to get anything going and it can’t be a great time for Detroit fans. The only hope is that they score Wembanyama in the 2023-24 draft and that he can make a great pairing with Cade Cunningham.
Who Will Win This Clash On April Fools’ Day?
We can’t see how the Bucks don’t win this one! Let’s look at the scenario. On the one hand, we have the Milwaukee Bucks who are in amazing form, top of the East, and led by Giannis who is playing at his usual MVP level.
On the other hand, we have the Detroit Pistons who are having a terrible run, are bottom of the East, have the worst record in the NBA, and have only won 16 games all season. I don’t want to say this is a foregone conclusion… but it’s pretty much there!
The Bucks Should Walk Away With This One With Ease
Let’s face it, the Bucks shouldn’t be losing this one and if they do then there is something drastically wrong. Detroit is by no means terrible but they are pretty bad and have the worst record in the league behind the abysmal Houston Rockets.
Even if Giannis doesn’t play and is resting, the Bucks should still have enough firepower with Middleton, Jrue, Portis and Lopez and we expect this one to be a blowout for sure. The Pistons are going to have to do something pretty miraculous to take down Milwaukee in their current form!
