2/24 vs MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Milwaukee comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 37 from three, 18 free throws a game; Porter Jr. at 21 and Rollins at 21 a game. Without Gia. Antetokounmpo (11 straight), Prince (47 straight). One day's rest. Miami comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 109, shooting 47 percent and 36 from three, 28 free throws a game; Adebayo at 20 and Powell at 20 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 9 a night. 2 days' rest. So: Miami wins, on the road, and the game turns on the line, where Miami takes 28 free throws a game to Milwaukee's 18 and the glass, where Miami has been plus-9 a night and Milwaukee plus-3. Call it Miami 117, Milwaukee 114, Milwaukee keeping it close.

2/25 vs CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Milwaukee comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 17 free throws a game; Rollins at 23 and Porter Jr. at 22 a game. Without Gia. Antetokounmpo (12 straight), Prince (48 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 105, shooting 50 percent and 38 from three, 27 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Allen at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Second night of a back-to-back. So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the line, where Cleveland takes 27 free throws a game to Milwaukee's 17 and the defense, Cleveland allowing 105 a night to Milwaukee's 112. Call it Cleveland 115, Milwaukee 114, Milwaukee keeping it close.

2/27 vs NYK — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Milwaukee comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 113, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 14 free throws a game; Porter Jr. at 22 and Rollins at 22 a game. Without Gia. Antetokounmpo (13 straight), Prince (49 straight), Trent Jr. (2 straight). One day's rest. New York comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 106, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 23 free throws a game; Towns at 22 and Brunson at 20 a game. Without McBride (13 straight). 2 days' rest. So: Milwaukee wins, and the game turns on the line, where New York takes 23 free throws a game to Milwaukee's 14 and the arc, Milwaukee at 39 percent from three to New York's 34. Call it Milwaukee 114, New York 113, New York keeping it close.

3/01 @ CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Chicago comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 104 a night and allowing 119, shooting 44 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Buzelis at 17 and Okoro at 12 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Simons (3 straight), Smith (2 straight), Collins (29 straight). 2 days' rest. Milwaukee comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 120, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 17 free throws a game; Porter Jr. at 22 and Rollins at 20 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Gia. Antetokounmpo (14 straight), Prince (50 straight). One day's rest. So: Milwaukee wins, on the road, and the game turns on the turnovers, Chicago giving it away 20 times a game to Milwaukee's 14 and the line, where Chicago takes 22 free throws a game to Milwaukee's 17. Call it Milwaukee 116, Chicago 115, Chicago keeping it close.