The Milwaukee Bucks, arguably the Eastern Conference’s best chance to stop the reign of the Golden State Warriors, head to Brooklyn tonight to play a team that they’ve dominated over the last number of years. The Bucks are 11-1 SU in their last 12 vs the Nets while they are 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 as the visitor in this matchup. The line opens at Milwaukee -7 with the total at 228.
- The Bucks have a +11.1 point differential in their last 15 games (No. 2 in the NBA).
- The Nets are 9-0 SU in their last nine games at home (avg. winning margin: 9.56).
- The Bucks are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games as a favorite of 8.0 or more.
Bucks Establishing Themselves As The Top Team in the East
Milwaukee has won nine of its last 10 games (6-3-1 ATS), including a statement win on the road in Toronto on Thursday night.
The Bucks followed that up with a 16-point win vs Washington on Saturday and arrive in Brooklyn to play a Nets team that is without its second-leading scorer, Spencer Dinwiddie, while third-leading scorer Joe Harris is listed as questionable.
In its last 15-game segment, Milwaukee has 12 wins (2nd) and is shooting 49.3 percent from the floor (3rd), scoring 117.9 points per game (5th) and allowing 40.6 opponent points in the paint (1st). This team is getting it done at both ends of the floor.
Milwaukee Has Been Covering Spreads, Too
Not only are the Bucks leading the league in win percentage, but they’ve also been making bettors money as well. At 29-19-3 against the spread this season, the Bucks are in the rare position of leading the league in both categories.
I expect the line to climb higher than the Sportsbook number of 7, however I’m not deterred, because the Bucks are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games as a favorite of 8 points or more and have a +11.1 point differential in their last 15 games – second only to the Warriors.
Cool Your Nets
Brooklyn went on a six-game win streak in mid-January but has since come back to earth with three losses in its last four games (Boston, San Antonio, Orlando). Notably, all of those losses came on the road as the team is on a nine-game win streak at Barclays Center, the site of tonight’s game.
It should be noted, though, that of those nine wins, many came against non-playoff teams Chicago, New York, Orlando, Atlanta, Phoenix, Sacramento and New Orleans.
My Pick For Tonight
I’ve locked in Bucks -7 in this game. Despite their record and dominance of spreads, I feel like the Bucks still do not get the level of respect that they deserve. I have no doubt that the recent success of the Nets on home court is keeping this Sportsbook line lower than it really should be, but at 7 points, I’m taking the Bucks all day.
