Having all three of their superstars in the lineup at the same time felt like a bit of a luxury for the Brooklyn Nets – so it’s no surprise to fans and bettors that they’ll be down a star for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup vs visiting Milwaukee. The Nets (53-25 SU, 43-35 ATS) will be without James Harden as they look to go up 2-0 on the Bucks (50-27 SU, 35-42 ATS).
- Date/Time: June 7, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: Barclays Center
- TV Coverage: TNT
- Sportsbook Odds: Nets -2.5 | O/U 235 (Line History)
- Bucks vs Nets Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Nets opened the betting cycle as a 2.5-point favorite, but that has been bet down to -1.5 in most spots (with the occasional -1 available as well). The total of 235 has slipped a half-point, with the OVER and UNDER both at -110.
Milwaukee News & Notes
When you’re facing a team as prolific as the Nets, you had better get your shots to fall – and most of the Bucks didn’t make that happen in Game 1. Aside from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who racked up 34 points on 16-of-24 shooting, Milwaukee’s starters shot a combined 39.7 percent from the field while the Bucks went just 6-for-30 from beyond the three-point arc as a team.
That three-point trend defines the Bucks’ season. They shot nearly 41 percent from deep in their 46 regular-season victories in 2020-21, and 35.1 percent in their 26 defeats. And with a dismal 35.7 percent success rate in three regular-season meetings with the Nets, they were probably fortunate to come away with a pair of wins in the season series.
Brooklyn News & Notes
No Harden? No problem for the Nets in Game 1, as they leaned heavily on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to shoulder the load against the third-seeded Bucks. The two combined for 54 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists while Brooklyn received strong secondary efforts from Blake Griffin (18 points, 14 rebounds) and Joe Harris (19 points, 5-9 3-PT).
One significant area of improvement for the Nets in the series opener was ball security. Brooklyn committed just nine turnovers in the come-from-behind victory after averaging an eye-popping 15.3 turnovers in three regular-season meetings with the Bucks. They won the turnover battle handily in Game 1 (14-9) and turned Milwaukee’s gaffes into 18 points en route to the win.
Betting Pick: Nets -1.5 (-110)
We don’t have enough confidence in Milwaukee’s three-point shooting – and Brooklyn’s defense has come a long way since these teams met during the regular season.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- The Nets are 10-1 ATS in their past 11 games.
- The Bucks are 4-8 ATS in their past 12 games.
- Milwaukee has won 15 of the last 20 head-to-head meetings.
