The Brooklyn Nets host the Milwaukee Bucks for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Tuesday with the series tied 2-2. Tip-off is slated for 8:30 p.m. ET at Barclays Center. Below, we analyze the Bucks vs. Nets odds and lines, with NBA picks and predictions.
The Bucks are surging and won both Games 3 and 4 at home. They’re finally playing well. SG Bryn Forbes and SF P.J. Tucker combined for 23 points while two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 34 in Game 4.
If they get those types of performances again, even with PG Jrue Holiday topping 15 points, the Bucks should come out on top.
For the Nets, it has to be the Kevin Durant show. Kyrie Irving went down with an ankle injury in Game 4 and has been ruled out for Game 5. James Harden isn’t going to play, either.
The Big 3 is down to just Durant. He went 9-for-25 from the field in Game 4 and the former MVP will need more help from players like SG Joe Harris. Role players must step up with the stars out.
Bucks at Nets: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:05 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Bucks -190 (bet $190 to win $100) | Nets +155 (bet $100 to win $155)
- Against the spread/ATS: Bucks -4 (-115) | Nets +4 (-105)
- Over/Under: 217.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Bucks at Nets: Key injuries
Bucks
- SG Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) out
Nets
- PG Kyrie Irving (ankle) out
- SG James Harden (hamstring) out
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Bucks at Nets: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Bucks 113, Nets 108
Money line (ML)
PASS on the Bucks (-190) because a money line at that price against potentially the best player on the planet is not a great bet. The Bucks should come out on top but it’s too much to risk.
They’ll be away from home. In their first-round series, that didn’t matter, and it shouldn’t matter much against an injury-ravaged Nets team, either.
The story of this game will be the injuries to Irving and Harden. The duo combined for 51.5 points per game in the regular season.
Losing them and asking SG Landry Shamet and G Bruce Brown to replace them is not how the Nets are going to win. First-year head coach Steve Nash is in a tough position.
Nonetheless, Durant is enough to avoid betting against the Nets at that value.
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Against the spread (ATS)
“LEAN” to the BUCKS -4 (-115) because Nets C Blake Griffin couldn’t slow down Antetokounmpo in Game 4, and there’s no reason to believe Brooklyn will be able to tame him at home.
While the Nets got little from most of their role players, the Bucks got less from a few stars. C Brook Lopez combined with Holiday to score 20 points in Game 4. They likely won’t do that poorly again.
Combine that with the Nets injuries and I fully expect the Bucks to come out hot and ready to dominate on both ends of the court.
Over/Under (O/U)
Bet the OVER 217.5 (-110) because the stars should be controlling the game.
After Brown took a few odd shots at the end of Game 4, it’ll likely be the Durant show at all times. He’ll be creating almost every play. While Brown and company must step up, Durant will likely enter in attack-first mode. For the Bucks, Antetokounmpo is coming off his second straight 30-point game.
Also, Tuesday’s projected total dropped significantly with the teams playing to the Under in each of the first four games.
The Bucks and Nets were the top two teams in scoring during the regular season. Harden and Irving were both factors, but eventually, the firepower will be unleashed.
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