The Milwaukee Bucks may have the top seed locked in for the NBA playoffs but they can still complete the season sweep of the Brooklyn Nets tonight. The Bucks are an incredible 32-6 SU and 23-13-2 ATS in 38 home games this season while the Nets are playing for their playoff lives. The Nets have lost four of their last five games overall but have covered the spread in four of their last five road games.
The Bucks opened as 8.5-point favorites (since moved to -4.5) with a total of 234.5.
STANDOUT STATS
- The Bucks lead the NBA in scoring since the all-star break while ranking 10th in both field-goal and three-point percentage. When playing at home since the break, they’ve gone 16-6 SU and have a +8.1-point differential.
- The Nets have dropped four of their last five games with each loss by double-digits and each of those team has a winning record. When the Nets played in Milwaukee back at the end of December, they allowed the Bucks to score 129 points and lost by 14. These two teams met on April 1st and despite the Bucks having a depleted lineup, they won by 10 while limiting the Nets to 41.5 percent from the field.
- Since the all-star break, the Nets defense has fallen off a cliff. They’re allowing 118.3 points per road game (ranked 25th) even though they’re holding teams to 44.3 percent from the field. One of the main reasons for them giving up so many points is they’re allowing teams to shoot 96.7 attempts from the field (ranked 29th) while getting outrebounded 53 to 46.
- Since the all-star break, the Bucks defense has limited teams to only 113 points per game while ranking fourth in opponent field goal percentage. However, where they’ve gotten in trouble in defending the three-point line as they’re allowing opponents to shoot 36.7 attempts from behind the arc (ranked 28th) while hitting 36 percent of those shots.
- A lot of OVER trends coming into this matchup as its hit in 5 of the Bucks’ last 6 games (avg. combined score: 242.1) while the OVER has hit in four of the Nets’ last five road games (avg combined score: 244.2).
My Best Bet for Nets vs Bucks
Nets +4.5
I think as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing, you have to ride with the Bucks but he's not this time around so that changes things. The Bucks typically have enough depth to move past nearly any injury or absence but the Greek Freak out of the lineup is something you can't ignore. The Nets defense hasn't been very good lately but I think they can keep this game close or even win when Giannis is on the bench. I say go with the team that has something to play for and assume they can at least take down a Bucks squad starting mostly reserves.
