The Milwaukee Bucks (25-15) meet the Brooklyn Nets (24-12) Friday in a rematch of last season’s second-round Eastern Conference playoff series. The tip-off at Barclays Center is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Bucks vs. Nets odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
Milwaukee defeated Brooklyn 4-3 in an exhilarating best-of-seven second-round playoff series last season en route to an NBA championship. Last regular season, the Bucks were 2-1 straight-up (SU) and ATS versus the Nets.
The Bucks have lost back-to-back games to the Detroit Pistons 115-106 Monday and the Toronto Raptors 117-111 Wednesday.
Over the past two weeks, Milwaukee is 5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS and 5-2 O/U with the seventh-best non-garbage time net rating at plus-6.0 points per 100 possessions, according to CleaningTheGlass.com (CTG).
Brooklyn snapped its three-game losing skid Friday when won at the Indiana Pacers 129-121 but failed to cover as 8.5-point road favorites. It was Nets PG Kyrie Irving‘s season debut, and Irving scored 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting with 4 assists and 3 steals.
In the last 14 days, Brooklyn is 3-3 SU, 2-4 ATS and 4-2 O/U with the 15th-ranked non-garbage time net rating at plus-0.7 points per 100 possessions, per CTG.
Bucks at Nets 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 7:40 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Bucks +160 (bet $100 to win $160) | Nets -200 (bet $200 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Bucks +4.5 (-105) | Nets -4.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 229.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Bucks at Nets key injuries
Bucks
- PF Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) probable
- PG Jrue Holiday (health and safety protocols) out
- SG Pat Connaughton (health and safety protocols) out
- SG Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) out
- SG George Hill (health and safety protocols) out
- SG Grayson Allen (health and safety protocols) out
Nets
- PG Kyrie Irving (personal) out
- SG Joe Harris (foot) out
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Bucks at Nets odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Nets 116, Bucks 107
Money line
PASS since I like Brooklyn to win this game going away, but still, the Nets (-200) is out of my price range.
The Bucks (+160) are the reigning champions, and Milwaukee’s All-Star wings Giannis and Khris Middleton are certainly good enough to push Milwaukee past Brooklyn.
Against the spread
BET the NETS -4.5 (-120) for 1 unit because they are a lot healthier, and this should be a revenge spot for Brooklyn.
Also, the Bucks are an NBA’s worst 4-10 ATS as a road underdog with a minus-4.6 ATS margin since the start of last season.
On top of that, Milwaukee will be without its top-two players by adjusted on/off net rating in Holiday and Hill Friday.
Holiday grades in the 97th percentile of points guards in adjusted on/off net rating at plus-15.7 points per 100 possessions and Hill grades in the 99th percentile of combo guards at plus-20.5 points per 100 possessions, per CTG.
Furthermore, Holiday, along with DiVincenzo and Connaughton who are also on the injury report, would be tasked with checking Brooklyn’s James Harden. Not having these guys, Holiday especially, could be a nightmare for Milwaukee and Harden could ball out.
Finally, I think the Nets want to make a statement Friday against the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season.
Nets’ Kevin Durant is almost being slept on as an MVP candidate. I’m expecting a great performance out of KD in this primetime game versus two-time MVP Giannis and the defending champions.
BET 1 unit on the NETS -4.5 (-120).
Over/Under
“LEAN” to the UNDER 229.5 (-110) for a quarter-unit, if at all, because Milwaukee is 1-8-1 O/U in its last 10 games versus teams with a winning record and the Bucks-Nets total is 1-8-1 O/U in their last 10 meetings.
However, I can only “LEAN” to the UNDER 229.5 (-110) since Milwaukee has gone Over the total in five of its past six games, and I anticipate Harden wreaking havoc on this banged-up Bucks backcourt.
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