3-Game NBA SWEEPER PASS
(NBA) Milwaukee vs. Memphis, 03/13/2017 4:00 PM, Score: 93 - 113
Total: 200.00 | 100.00 Over
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 32-33 Milwaukee Bucks have won six in a row and now own the East's 8th and final playoff spot as they visit Memphis on Monday, squaring off against the 36-30 Grizzlies. Memphis is headed in the opposite direction of Milwaukee, having lost five in a row to fall to 7th in the Western Conference standings.

Milwaukee: The Bucks' latest surge has them one win shy of reaching .500 for the first time since they were 20-20 back on Jan. 16. Most observers felt Milwaukee's season was over when Jabari Parker (20.1 & 6.1) was lost for the season but the team is 10-3 SU (9-4 ATS) without him, including this current 6-0 SU & ATS run in which the Bucks are allowing an average of just 94.3 PPG. All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (23.2-8.6-5.5) was happy to see seven players score in double figures,as the Bucks beat the T-wolves 102-95 on Saturday, taking some of the pressure off . The "Greek Freak." However, he still logged 40 minutes and scored 18 points. A huge bonus has been the return to health of last year's leading scorer, Khris Middleton (18.2). Middleton has averaged 14.3 PPG in his 13 games back, including 17.7 PPG during the team's six-game winning streak.

Memphis: As noted, while Milwaukee is surging and playing excellent defense (see above), the Grizzlies have lost five straight while allowing 114.0 PPG! Our defensive trust is out the door right now and we've got to get that back and we've been drilling that," Memphis head coach David Fizdale told reporters. "Offensively our execution is off at points in the game - at critical points in the game when we really need to execute and get a great shot." In Saturday night's 107-90 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Grizzlies allowed an opponent to reach the century mark for the eighth time in the past nine games. Defense has been a Memphis trademark for years but it has now become a liability. Making matters worse the last time out was that while the Hawks were connecting on 15 of 30 three-pointers, the Grizzlies shot an abysmal 5 of 29 (17.2 percent) from beyond the arc!

The pick: With the two teams headed in opposite directions, is Milwaukee the play? Maybe but I'd rather play the under, as the Bucks' defense has been great and Memphis is overdue to start getting back to basics. Make the Under an 8* play.