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The Milwaukee Bucks will head over to Dallas to face off against the Dallas Mavericks in Thursday night's marquee matchup at the American Airlines Center on December 23rd.
The Milwaukee Bucks will head into this game on the back of a 126-106 win against the Houston Rockets. Snapping a two-game losing streak in the process, the Bucks now find themselves at 20-13 on the season.
The Dallas Mavericks will look to continue their dominance at home as they head into this game on the back of a 114-102 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, with the latest news about Luka Doncic, the team may not enjoy too much success any time soon.
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Match Details
Fixture - Milwaukee Bucks vs Dallas Mavericks | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Thursday, December 23rd, 2021; 8:30 PM ET (Friday, December 24th, 2021; 7:00 AM IST.)
Venue - American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX.
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks will be coming off a dominant win against the Houston Rockets at home. Hoping to continue their success at home, the Bucks will host the Mavericks on the second night of a back-to-back.
Thursday night's marquee matchup, however, may not be the spectacle it was initially made out to be. With the COVID outbreak affecting the majority of the league, both sides in this matchup will be missing their star players.
The Bucks will also be missing a number of players due to health and safety protocols. Noteworthy absences from the Milwaukee Bucks' starting rotation are Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
Missing some other pieces as well, the Bucks' overall rotation is slightly shorthanded. But the return of Khris Middleton along with the performances of Jrue Holiday and DeMarcus Cousins against Houston provided some respite for Milwaukee Bucks fans.
Key Player - Jrue Holiday
The Milwaukee Bucks will look to Jrue Holiday to lead from the front in the matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Bucks point guard has been a real game changer since he joined the ball club in the previous season. Playing a key role in their championship success, Jrue Holiday is a vital part of the Milwaukee Bucks' big three alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.
Holiday's skill as a two-way player makes him one of the most important pieces on the Bucks roster. Often tasked with shutting down the opposing team's best players, Holiday's defensive proficiency is impressive.
While also being a solid playmaker, Holiday is a reliable scorer as well. Leading the Milwaukee Bucks' scoring effort in their win against the Houston Rockets, Jrue Holiday will have to play a big role if Milwaukee's success at home is to continue against the Dallas Mavericks.
Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup
G - Jrue Holiday | G - Grayson Allen | F - Khris Middleton | F - Jordan Nwora | C - DeMarcus Cousins
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks looked like a competitive side prior to the start of the season. However, the regular-season has been anything but kind to Jason Kidd's team.
With a 15-15 record, the Dallas Mavericks are barely hanging onto their spot within playoff contention. A lot of this can be attributed to issues within the team dynamics. With injuries affecting the team, seeing players in and out of the rotation has forced the Mavericks into a tough spot.
With the current ravaged state of the NBA due to the virus outbreak, the Mavericks will be severely shorthanded ahead of their matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. With Luka Doncic joining the long list of players in health and safety protocols alongside teammate Trey Burke, the Dallas Mavericks will also miss Tim Hardaway Jr. and Maxi Kleber.
Kristaps Porzingis has been listed as questionable due to a toe injury against the Milwaukee Bucks. However, the team could use the skills of the Latvian big-man.
Key Player - Jalen Brunson
In the absence of a number of players from their roster, the Dallas Mavericks will look to Jalen Brunson to be their key player in this game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Brunson led the effort for the Dallas Mavericks against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Leading the side with 28 points in the absence of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, Brunson also recorded six assists along with three steals and a block for the game.
Finding ways to get his teammates involved, Brunson usually plays a key role in facilitating the offense off the bench. Stepping into the starting role, the 25-year old has also shown the ability to take over games by creating his own shot.
Looking to keep the Dallas Mavericks afloat in light of their injury concerns, Brunson will have to take on a bigger load in this game.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Jalen Brunson | G - Frank Ntilikina | F - Dorian Finney-Smith | F - Dwight Powell | C - Moses Brown
Bucks vs Mavericks Match Predictions
The Milwaukee Bucks should win this matchup against the Dallas Mavericks fairly easily.
While considering the roster strength being depleted for both teams, the Milwaukee Bucks still look like a dominant side with Holiday and Middleton available.
After factoring in the homecourt advantage and Milwaukee's overall performance at home, the side looked solid even without their leading man.
Should Porzingis be available for the game, the Dallas Mavericks may enjoy some respite. But the move won't be enough to shift the needle in Dallas' favor.
Where to watch Bucks vs Mavericks game?
The Milwaukee Bucks vs Dallas Mavericks game will be locally broadcast on Bally Sports Southwest. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can also listen to the game by tuning into 97.1 FM The Eagle.
