Milwaukee Bucks odds line spread pick predictions best bets

Milwaukee Bucks at Los Angeles Lakers odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Tuesday’s Milwaukee Bucks at Los Angeles Lakers odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The Milwaukee Bucks (34-21) drop by Crypto.com Arena Tuesday to play the Los Angeles Lakers (26-28) at 10 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Bucks vs. Lakers odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.

Milwaukee won its third consecutive game Sunday by clobbering the Clippers 137-113 in L.A. as a 5.5-point road favorite. The Bucks are 4-2 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) over the past two weeks.

L.A. has alternated between winning and losing over its last four games with its most recent being a 122-115 comeback overtime victory versus the New York Knicks at home as a 5-point favorite. The Lakers are 3-4 SU but 5-2 ATS in the last 14 days.

The Bucks beat the Lakers 109-102 in Milwaukee Nov. 17 but failed to cover as 9-point home favorites.

Also see: Bet Slippin’ Podcast: NBA February 8 breakdown

Bucks at Lakers odds, spread and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:07 p.m. ET.

Money line: Bucks -170 (bet $170 to win $100) | Lakers +135 (bet $100 to win $135)
Against the spread: Bucks -3.5 (-115) | Lakers +3.5 (-107)
Over/Under (O/U): 231.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)

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Bucks at Lakers key injuries

Bucks

SG Grayson Allen (hip) probable

Lakers

SF LeBron James (knee) probable
PF Anthony Davis (wrist) probable
SF Carmelo Anthony (hamstring) out

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Bucks at Lakers odds, lines, picks and predictions

Prediction

Bucks 118, Lakers 111

Money line

“LEAN” to the BUCKS (-170) for a one-third unit, if at all, because I’d prefer getting down on Milwaukee outright than sweating the spread. More importantly, Milwaukee’s first-half spread is my favorite wager in this game.

However, the Bucks are nearly at full strength while the Lakers have been very inconsistent and injury-prone.

Milwaukee is plus-6.4 in adjusted net rating (ranked eighth) and L.A. is minus-0.8 in adjusted net rating (ranked 20th) over the last two weeks, according to CleaningTheGlass.com (CTG).

The Bucks are also 13-6 SU as a road favorite (plus-7.8 margin of victory) and the Lakers are 2-2 SU as a home underdog (minus-6.8 margin of victory).

Against the spread

BET the BUCKS -1.5 (-110) FIRST-HALF SPREAD for 1.25 units because Milwaukee has been extremely profitable in the first half this season while L.A. has cost backers several units.

The Bucks have the third-best return on investment (ROI) in the first half (33-22 ATS) and the Lakers have the second-worst ROI in the first half (21-31-2 ATS) according to EVAnalytics.com.

Milwaukee has covered its first-half spread for three straight games and has a plus-12.7 first-half scoring margin over that span. Whereas L.A. is 0-3 ATS in their last three first halves with a minus-6.7 first-half scoring margin.

This also kind of fits how the Lakers, and mainly LeBron, play. LeBron is known to make in-game adjustments based on how his opponent is playing so I could see L.A. using the first half to figure things out.

I “lean” towards Milwaukee laying the points for the full game but the BUCKS -1.5 (-110) FIRST-HALF SPREAD is my favorite bet in this game.

Over/Under

PASS.

Both teams play at a top-10 pace and each is 4-1 O/U in their last five games. However, the Under has cashed in six straight Bucks-Lakers meetings and I just don’t have a strong enough grasp on this total.

Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and, soon, IA. Bet now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

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Denver Nuggets at Milwaukee Bucks odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Sunday’s Denver Nuggets at Milwaukee Bucks odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The Denver Nuggets (27-21) visit the Milwaukee Bucks (31-20) Sunday for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off at Fiserv Forum. Below, we look at the Nuggets vs. Bucks odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.

Denver handled business at New Orleans 116-105 Friday as a 4-point road favorite. Since Jan. 16, the Nuggets are 5-2 straight up (SU) but just 1-5-1 against the spread (ATS).

Milwaukee has won four of its past five games with its most recent being a 123-108 victory over the New York Knicks as a 9-point home favorite Friday.

The Bucks are 4-2 SU and 2-4 ATS with the second-worst ATS margin (minus-5.2), according to CleaningTheGlass.com (CTG), since Jan. 17.

The Bucks (-6.5) trampled the Nuggets 120-109 in their first meeting this season in Denver Nov. 26.

Nuggets at Bucks odds, spread and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:35 p.m. ET.

Money line: Nuggets +210 (bet $100 to win $210) | Bucks -270 (bet $270 to win $100)
Against the spread: Nuggets +6.5 (-112) | Bucks -6.5 (-108)
Over/Under (O/U): 232.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)

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Nuggets at Bucks key injuries

Nuggets

SF Will Barton (illness) probable
C DeMarcus Cousins (foot) questionable
PF Aaron Gordon (illness) questionable
PG Jamal Murray (knee) out

Bucks

PG George Hill (neck) doubtful

Nuggets at Bucks odds, lines, picks and predictions

Prediction

Bucks 114, Nuggets 110

Money line

PASS.

I don’t like Nuggets (+210) enough to sprinkle anything on their money line even though it’s a fairly juicy payout. The Nuggets are just 6-8 SU as road underdogs and the Bucks are 16-6 SU as home favorites.

Against the spread

BET NUGGETS +6.5 (-112) for 1 unit.

This isn’t a good spot for either team, but Denver has been much better and more consistent this month. The Nuggets are 10-5 SU in January with the best effective field-goal shooting, best rebounding rate and fifth-best assist-to-turnover ratio.

The Bucks are 7-7 SU this month with the 13th-best net rating and the 25th-ranked ATS margin (minus-3.4).

Denver is 5-1 ATS in its last six visits to Milwaukee, while the Bucks are just 5-9 ATS at home versus teams with a winning record.

BET NUGGETS +6.5 (-112).

Over/Under

BET UNDER 232.5 (-108) for a half-unit, mostly as a fade against a market that has bet the Over so heavily the total has increased from the 227.5-point opener (according to Pregame.com).

Two of the three referees assigned to this game have officiated more Overs than Unders, and the officiating crew is a combined 42-53 O/U. This plus both teams having a top-10 defensive FT/FGA rate should equal fewer trips to the foul line.

I see Denver slowing the pace down behind its elite defensive rebounding. Plus, Milwaukee doesn’t force a lot of turnovers – the Bucks rank 20th in defensive turnover rate.

Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and, soon, IA. Bet now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

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Milwaukee Bucks at Cleveland Cavaliers odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Wednesday’s Milwaukee Bucks at Cleveland Cavaliers odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The Milwaukee Bucks (30-19) meet Cleveland Cavaliers (29-19) in a Central Division showdown Wednesday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Bucks vs. Cavaliers odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.

Milwaukee won its third straight game Saturday by beating the Sacramento Kings, 133-127, but failed to cover as 8-point home favorites. The Bucks are 5-5 straight-up (SU) and 3-7 against the spread (ATS).

Cleveland has won seven of its past eight games including two straight with the latest being a 95-93 victory over the New York Knicks. But, the Cavs have lost ATS in their last three games and are just 4-5-1 ATS in the last 10.

The Cavs are 1-1 straight-up (SU) but 2-0 ATS in their two meetings with the Bucks this season. Cleveland’s 119-90 victory, Dec. 18, snapped Milwaukee’s 8-game winning streak in their head-to-head series (6-2 ATS).

However, the Bucks were without all of their Big 3 (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday) in the Cavs’ victory.

Also see: Bet Slippin’ Podcast: NBA January 26 breakdown

Bucks at Cavaliers odds, spread and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2 p.m. ET.

Money line: Bucks -190 (bet $190 to win $100) | Cavaliers +155 (bet $100 to win $155)
Against the spread (ATS): Bucks -4.5 (-110) | Cavaliers +4.5 (-110)
Over/Under (O/U): 218.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)

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Bucks at Cavaliers key injuries

Bucks

SF Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) probable
SG Grayson Allen (league suspension) out

Cavaliers

C Jarrett Allen (illness) questionable
SF Lauri Markkanen (ankle) out

Bucks at Cavaliers odds, lines, picks and predictions

Prediction

Bucks 115, Cavs 107

Money line

PASS even though I have Milwaukee winning this one handily because the Bucks (-190) is just too far out of my price range. Typically, -150 is the most I’d pay for an outright winner in NBA regular-season action.

Against the spread

BET the BUCKS -4.5 (-110) because this line feels cheap for a Milwaukee team that’s at full health and well-rested.

In fact, Milwaukee has been at least a double-digit favorite in seven of the last nine meetings with Cleveland. Granted, the Cavs are one of the surprise teams through the first half of the season.

But, Milwaukee hasn’t played since Saturday, and the main reason they didn’t beat the Kings worse was Giannis took the night off.

When Giannis, Middleton and Holiday are all on the floor, Milwaukee has a plus-10.9 adjusted net rating, which would grade in the 95th percentile of lineups (CTG).

Furthermore, Giannis and Middleton are having their best months of the season in Jan. Giannis is averaging 31.6 points per game (PPG) on 52.6% shooting with 10.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists and a plus-17 net rating this month.

While Middleton is averaging 23.5 PPG on 63.5% true shooting (.486/.457/.902) with 6.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists and a plus-9 net rating.

Finally, Cleveland could be missing two frontcourt starters and will definitely be without Markkanen, who is third on the Cavs with a plus-4.5 adjusted on/off net rating. If Allen misses Wednesday’s game, the Bucks will dominate the Cavs on the boards.

BET the BUCKS -4.5 (-110).

Over/Under

Slight “LEAN” to the OVER 218.5 (-107) for a tiny wager, if at all, because the Bucks scored at least 123 points in two of their three meetings with the Cavs last season.

Milwaukee’s lineup Wednesday will closely resemble last season’s squad more so than the Bucks team that played Cleveland earlier this season.

However, both teams rank in the top-seven in defensive rating, Cleveland is 1-6 O/U in its last seven versus teams with a 60.0% winning rate or better and the Under is 3-1-1 in the last five Bucks-Cavaliers meetings.

Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and, soon, IA. Bet now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

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Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Sunday’s Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks NBA betting odds and lines, with basketball picks, tips and predictions.

The Milwaukee Bucks (1-1) visit the New York Knicks (0-2) Sunday at Madison Square Garden for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off. Below, we analyze the Bucks-Knicks NBA betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

Bucks at Knicks: Betting odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:15 a.m. ET.

Money line: Bucks -900 (bet $900 to win $100) | Knicks +600 (bet $100 to win $600)
Against the spread/ATS: Bucks -12.5 (-115) | Knicks +12.5 (-105)
Over/Under: 221.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Bucks at Knicks: Key Injuries

Knicks

SG Obi Toppin (calf) out
PF Austin Rivers (groin) questionable

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Bucks at Knicks: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Bucks 126, Knicks 114

Money line (ML)

The Bucks absolutely roasted the Golden State Warriors on both ends of the floor on Christmas 138-99. Milwaukee shot 55% from the field and 54% from three compared to the Warriors’ 34% field-goal shooting (22% 3-point shooting) and out-rebounded them 60-43.

New York hung around in the first quarter of its game with the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday before eventually being routed 109-89. PF Julius Randle and SG Alec Burks continued their strong play. Randle scored 25 points on 11-for-15 shooting, and Burks had 22 off the bench with four 3-pointers.

Last season, Bucks-Knicks games went exactly how you’d expect it would go: Milwaukee won all three meetings by 44, 21 and 26 points and was favored by as many as 16.5 points.

All that being said, no NBA team in the regular-season history is worth betting at 9-to-1, and the Knicks should be getting way more than +600. PASS ON THE MONEY LINE.

Against the spread (ATS)

Milwaukee has covered six straight meetings, but there are just too many ways a professional basketball team can keep the game in single digits. If the Bucks are ahead by 25 with six minutes left, what’s keeping their foot on the gas?

It’s not outrageous for a young Knicks team to go full tilt until the end whistle because a lot of them are playing for a bigger role in new head coach Tom Thibodeau’s system.

And do you know who benefits the most from no fans being allowed in Madison Square Garden for a weekend night game against the reigning MVP? The Knicks. If this was a regular MSG atmosphere, Giannis, like every NBA superstar, would want to put on a show in New York City. As Michael Jordan once said, MSG is “the Mecca of basketball”.

I have a slight lean on the Knicks +12.5 (-105) for a tiny wager if anything but officially I’ll PASS.

Over/Under (O/U)

This is a working theory that is TBD on profitability, but let’s BET OVER 221.5 (-115) for 1.5 units, and let’s keep hitting Bucks’ Overs that are 225 or less. My idea is that the Bucks are going to put up at least 120 versus bad teams, and the way teams play nowadays randomizes basketball so that even crappy squads can get hot from three.

Milwaukee has led the NBA in scoring since head coach Mike Budenholzer took the gig in 2018, and PG Jrue Holiday is such a monumental upgrade over former PG Eric Bledsoe, both offensively and defensively.

Want some action on this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Hoops Hype:

Rumors: Bucks | Knicks
Free agent rankings: Top players available next offseason

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