A pair of NBA games are slated to televised live on ESPN and streamed on the ESPN App and WatchESPN.com on Friday. The Milwaukee Bucks travel to the New Orleans Pelicans before the Dallas Mavericks visit the Utah Jazz.
Both games are expected to provide quality entertainment, given that they will feature players who are early candidates in the race to win this year’s NBA MVP award.
Pelicans vs. Bucks Should Be Exciting!
At 7:30 p.m. ET at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Zion Williamson and the Pelicans will welcome reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in one of the featured games tonight.
The Bucks enter this game seeking their third successive victory and they start as a 7-point favorite according to the latest William Hill Sportsbook odds with the Over-Under at 230.
Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 26.8 points and 11 rebounds per game will lead Milwaukee, which is 7-9 Against the Spread this season. Khris Middleton is averaging 21.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists while shooting 51.9% from the field and 44.1% from 3-pointers this campaign.
Over the last 10 games for the Bucks, Middleton is averaging 22.6 points, 6.7 boards and 5.7 assists.
Williamson, meanwhile, is averaging 23.9 points and 7.5 rebounds across 24.20 minutes so far this season. He is putting out 26.8 points per game and shooting 61.1% from the field over the last 10 games.
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Lonzo Ball (ankle) was listed as questionable for the game, but is expected to play.
The Pelicans and Bucks are squaring off for the first time this season with the second meeting slated for Feb. 25.
Utah Jazz Hunt 11th Straight Win vs. Dallas Mavericks
Meanwhile, in the second game streaming live on WatchESPN, Luka Doncic leads the Dallas Mavericks against the Utah Jazz who are without top point guard Donovan Mitchell.
Dallas will be hoping to avenge the loss to the Jazz three nights ago. With that win, Utah secured their 10th straight victory to grab the NBA overall lead.
Doncic comes into the matchup averaging 27.4 points with 9.4 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game for Dallas this season and scored 30 points for the Mavericks in the 116-104 defeat in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night.
Rudy Gobert, who finished with 29-points and 20-rebounds for the Jazz in the victory over the Mavericks last time out, will be hoping to ride that momentum heading into Friday’s matchup.
Mitchell (concussion) remains unavailable for this game as he continues to be sidelined for a second straight game after he suffered a concussion Monday against the Golden State Warriors.
Utah is a 4 point favorite in the latest William Hill Sportsbook odds with the Over-Under at 222.5.
