Portland Trail Blazers vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction: Unsteady Portland takes on the Bucks' juggernaut

The NBA has entered the trade deadline phase and we have already seen the plug pulled during the Kyrie Irving trade. This is an indication that there can be more such big moves in store. One team that can end up making a big move is the Portland Trail Blazers which is going to meet the Milwaukee Bucks.

Portland enters the affair after losing 121:129 against the Chicago Bulls despite a 40 points performance by Damian Lillard. This loss broke a three-game winning streak, the type of winning streak that has been rather rare. This season began on a promising note but the Trail Blazers once again slumped at a crucial stage. Damian Lillard has scored 37 or more in five of the last seven games but it hasn’t been enough. The team defense isn’t as tight as earlier in the season while Jerami Grant’s production has taken a hit. Will Portland get busy soon to pull off some trades? Their bench is weak.

The Bucks come into this game after defeating the Miami Heat 123:115 as Giannis Antetokounmpo racked up 35 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists. This was the seventh straight win for the Bucks, and this is the second instance in the season when the team has won more than six games in a row. Despite a downward window in the middle, they have come up strong, racking up 36 wins and just 17 losses so far. Antetokounmpo has climbed further up the NBA ladder and has produced astounding results. Will the Bucks go all the way and win a title?

This is the type of game that the Trail Blazers can use to heighten their cause. A win against a team that has been relentless is the type of injection that this squad needs. Such wins have been far and few for the squad lately and the Giannis-led Bucks team will enter with a lot of confidence here. I see a close game here and see Portland giving a tough fight but losing in the end. I predict a scoreline of 124:119 here.