Century mark is magic number for Bucks against Pacers
In some NBA cities, when a team scores 100 points a local restaurant (usually fast food or pizza) offers free food.
For the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 100 points usually means victory. In fact, 100 points is the magic number for the team and fans to root for.
This season, the Bucks have scored 100 points in two games. They are 2-0 in those contests. Twice the Bucks have failed to score 100 points and are 0-2 in those games.
Yes, we're only four games into the season, but even last year Milwaukee was 25-13 when scoring at least 100 points and just 10-38 when scoring in double digits.
Can the Bucks reach the century mark against Indiana? The early indications are yes.
While last season the Pacers allowed just 100.5 points per game, so far this year Indiana opponents are scoring 112.5 a contest. That 12.0 increase is the largest in the NBA this season.
Other notes:
-- The Bucks are second in the Eastern Conference with 53.5 points in the paint per game. Indiana is fourth at 48.0.
-- Many of those points in the paint have come on dunks or layups. Milwaukee leads the NBA with 22.3 points per game on dunks/layups while Indiana is fourth at 19.0 ppg. Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the NBA in dunks (15) and dunks per game (3.8).
-- Four players in the NBA are averaging 10+ points, 5+ assists and 1+ steal per game while shooting 50 percent or better (min. 5 FGA/game). Antetokounmpo and Matthew Dellavedova are two of them (Houston's James Harden and Boston's Isaiah Thomas are the others).
-- More Antetokounmpo: He is averaging 23.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game in 2016-17. Since the 1973-74 season, only 10 players have averaged 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 1+ block and 1+ steal in a single season. The last player to do so was LeBron James in the 2009-10 season.
-- Former Buck Monta Ellis has scored double-digit points against Milwaukee in 14 of his 15 career games against the team.
Statistics courtesy STATS LLC
