The Eastern Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks face the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the NBA Finals Tuesday night. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. ET at Phoenix Suns Arena. Below, we analyze the Bucks-Suns Game 1 odds and lines, with NBA picks and predictions.
The Bucks were the No. 3 seed in the East. Their playoff run started with a four-game sweep of the Miami Heat. They then upset the Brooklyn Nets in seven games and took care of the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games, playing the final two without PF Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a knee injury he suffered in Game 4.
The Suns were the second seed in the West. They took down the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in six games in the first round and swept the Denver Nuggets in the second round. Phoenix defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in six games in the Western Conference Finals to make it to the championship round.
Bucks at Suns: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Bucks +195 (bet $100 to win $195) | Suns -250 (bet $250 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Bucks +6 (-110) | Suns -6 (-110)
- Over/Under: 218.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Bucks at Suns: Key injuries
Bucks
- PF Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) doubtful
- PG Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) out
Suns
- None
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Bucks at Suns: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Suns 115, Bucks 105
Money line (ML)
The Bucks lost Game 1 in each of the last two series and will likely be without their best player in Antetokounmpo Tuesday. Of course, they went 2-0 in the last series without him but were only 6-5 in his absences in the regular season.
The Suns beat the Bucks by 1 point in both of their regular-season meetings, and they’re 3-0 in series openers this postseason. They are playing at full strength.
Back the healthy SUNS (-250) to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The Bucks are only 42-47 ATS this year but 10-7 ATS in the postseason. They went 0-2 ATS against the Suns in the regular season and are 19-26 ATS on the road, including the playoffs.
The Suns have the highest cover percentage in the NBA for the regular and postseason at 60.9%. They covered the spread in 11 of their 12 postseason wins and did so in all three series openers.
Take the SUNS -6 (-110).
Over/Under (O/U)
The Bucks are sixth in the league in Over percentage at 53.4% but that dropped to 37.5% in the playoffs. However, in their two games without Antetokounmpo, the pace picked up and their final two games against the Hawks hit the Over.
The Suns are fourth in the NBA with a 55.2% Over rate, but they’re 6-9-1 O/U in the postseason. Their final two games against the Clippers hit the Over.
The pace of this game should be high.
Take OVER 218.5 (-115).
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