Two of the best players in the NBA will meet for the first time this season when Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks head north to take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Dallas is currently just ahead of Golden State for the No. 3 seed in the West after its win on Wednesday night, while Milwaukee is one game behind Miami for the No. 1 seed in the East. Both teams will be favored according to NBA first round picks when the playoffs start in a couple weeks, but they are trying to score advantageous positions.
The Milwaukee Bucks will host the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, April 3, 2022, at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This game will tip off at 1 p.m. ET on ABC. You’ll be able to bet on this NBA game at SugarHouse Sportsbook, so stay on the lookout for other Sunday NBA picks.
Dallas Mavericks at Milwaukee Bucks Preview
It’s been a tale of two seasons for the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas looked like it might miss the playoffs through its first 34 games. The Mavericks were 16-18 before New Year’s Eve, but they have since been one of the top teams in the NBA. They have gone 32-11 since that point, and they have only lost four home games in that stretch.
Doncic has taken his game to another level. He wasn’t in great shape to start the season, but he has rounded into form after a slow start. Doncic is a triple-double threat in every game, and he is averaging 28.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 8.5 APG this season. He is averaging 29.5 PPG in the month of March, and he is making 48.4% of his field goals and 39.1% of his threes. This is his fourth season in the NBA, and he is only getting better with each year.
Spencer Dinwiddie has emerged as the second option on Dallas after the Kristaps Porzingis trade. Dinwiddie wasn’t very efficient in his first several games with the Mavericks, but he has shot 50% or better from the floor in four of his last five games. He is averaging 18.1 PPG in March as the second-leading scorer for Dallas.
Jalen Brunson will get paid this offseason given how he has grown during his four seasons with the Mavericks. Brunson was a second-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and he has improved in each of his four years with the Mavericks. He is a solid second guard alongside Doncic, and he is a good defender too. Brunson is averaging 16.2 PPG and 4.9 APG this season, and he is making 49.8% of his field goals.
Milwaukee has the reigning NBA Finals MVP and two-time regular season MVP in Antetokounmpo. His growth has been incredible during his time in the league, and he is one of the most athletic players we have ever seen in the NBA. Antetokounmpo is averaging 29.9 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and 5.8 APG, and his 32.48 PER is second-best in the NBA. He was incredible in the win over Philly on Tuesday too with 40 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists and blocked what would have been the game-tying shot from Joel Embiid.
The Bucks don’t have to lean too much on Antetokounmpo though as this is a well-rounded team now that Brook Lopez has finally returned from injury. Lopez missed nearly the entire year with a back issue, but his presence will help Antetokounmpo play away from the basket more.
Jrue Holiday has been much better this season too. Holiday had his fair share of struggles last year on the way to the title, but he is playing like the star guard we saw in New Orleans now. He is averaging 18.6 PPG, 6.8 APG, and 4.5 RPG, and his 20.04 PER is one of the best numbers for guards.
That gives Milwaukee an edge in this game. The Bucks have a better supporting cast around Antetokounmpo, and they have been very good at home this year. Dallas probably doesn’t have an answer for either Antetokounmpo or Khris Middleton, so it is going to be difficult for the Mavericks to pick up the win.