Bucks @ Magic

Who will WIN this matchup?

Milwaukee Bucks (2-2)

@ Orlando Magic (2-2)

Current odds:

Milwaukee Bucks: (-185)

Orlando Magic: (+160)

• The line for this game is Bucks by 4.5 points.

• The Milwaukee Bucks seemed to run out of steam in the second half of their first multi-game road trip of the season, and they hope to have a more complete effort when they finish the swing at the Orlando Magic on Friday. After racing to a 16-point halftime lead at Boston on Wednesday, the Bucks had no answers for the Celtics after the break while falling 116-105. Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo combined for 48 points on 18-of-28 shooting for Milwaukee, but their teammates combined to shoot 37 percent and almost nobody could make a stop when it counted. “They found a great rhythm offensively at the start of the start of the second half,” Middleton told reporters before referencing a previous collapse against Miami in which the Bucks led by 17 at halftime but eventually lost in overtime. “That’s the second time that’s happened where we came out in the second half and we couldn’t guard anybody.”

• That might be a bit easier to solve against a Magic club that has yet to score 100 points in a game, although Orlando boasts the top scoring defense in the Eastern Conference (93.8 points) early on. It was on display Wednesday in a 95-83 win over the New York Knicks.

• Middleton is averaging 24 points over his last three games and is 19-for-29 from the floor in the last two. Antetokounmpo is doing his usual thing while averaging 23.8 points and 13.5 rebounds, but the three-time All-Star has been leaving points at the foul line by missing at least four tries in each game. He is 21-for-38 at the stripe overall and had a pair of airballs late in the first half at Boston.

• Center Nikola Vucevic bounced back from a rough showing at Toronto on Monday in which he was 1-for-13 from the field to score 21 points and grab 13 rebounds in the win over the Knicks. Only three others scored in double figures and Orlando got to the line just 12 times, but the squad seems to be finding an identity on the other end. “We’re trying to find our way offensively, but I do believe we had great defensive talent on this roster,” coach Steve Clifford told the media. “Through these first 10-12 games, we can defend and compete our way through until we get our offense going. That’s what we did tonight.”

• Milwaukee ranks fourth in the NBA in scoring (119.3) and Orlando is last (95.8).

• Magic SG Terrence Ross is 2-for-20 from beyond the arc over the last three games.

• The Bucks won last season’s series 2-1 and have taken seven of the last 10 meetings overall.