The Milwaukee Bucks (34-6) take the NBA’s best record into a Saturday matchup with the host Portland Trail Blazers (16-23) at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET. We analyze the Bucks-Trail Blazers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
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Bucks at Trail Blazers: Key Injuries
Bucks
- PF Ersan Ilyasova (knee) questionable
Trail Blazers
- C Zach Collins (shoulder) out
- SF Mario Hezonja (back) questionable
- SG Rodney Hood (Achilles) out
- C Skal Labissiere (knee) out
- C Jusuf Nurkic (leg) out
- C Hassan Whiteside (illness) questionable
Bucks at Trail Blazers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Saturday at 12:15 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Bucks 112, Trail Blazers 104
Moneyline (ML)
The BUCKS (-250) are more conservative favorites than usual as they come into Saturday for the second half of a back-to-back. They routed the Sacramento Kings 127-106 Friday for their second straight road win. The Trail Blazers (+200) are coming off a 116-102 road loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday. They’re an unimpressive 8-9 on home court for the season, and they’re just 2-4 with a rest advantage while losing those games by an average of 5.7 points.
There’s a fair amount of chalk involved here, but it’s one of the better moneyline numbers we’ve seen for the top-seeded Bucks and can be backed as a safe play. A $10 bet will return a profit of $4.
Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Get better value on the BUCKS (-5.5, -121) by backing them to win by at least 6 points. They outscore their opponents by an average of 119.1-107.1 for a league-best margin of victory of plus-12.0. The Blazers have been outscored by an average of 1.9 points per game.
Portland is just 15-22-2 against the spread overall and 6-9-2 on home court. Milwaukee is 22-18 ATS overall and 11-9 on the road.
Over/Under (O/U)
Take the UNDER 226.5 (+105). The Bucks are 3-3 against the line when playing the second half of a back-to-back and the undermanned Blazers are just 19-20 against the Over/Under for the season.
Esten’s NBA betting record: 134-105
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