The rising Milwaukee Bucks look to continue their rise in the NBA ranks when they head to North Carolina to face the Charlotte Hornets. The Bucks just wrapped up a six-game homestand that saw them go 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS but they’ve been hit-or-miss on the road this season at 4-3 SU in seven games. They took down the Hornets in the first game of the season and Charlotte has been struggling lately by dropping five of its last eight games.
The Bucks opened as a 5-point favorite with a total of 232.5.
- Milwaukee leads the NBA in scoring at 121.7 points per game.
- The Hornets are 6-3 SU and ATS in nine home games this season.
- The OVER has hit in 14 of the Bucks’ 19 games this season.
The Greek Freak Is Pacing the top-Scoring Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo still has not hit his full potential in his career, which is a scary thought for opposing defenses. The Greek Freak is averaging 27.2 points, 13 rebounds and 5.7 assists this season and leads the team in those categories. With his ability to slice up the opposition, the Bucks now lead the league in points per game (121.7) and are second in field-goal percentage. What may be most terrifying when facing the Bucks is that all five of their starters average double figures in scoring so it’s not just Giannis carrying the load.
As a 5-point favorite, Milwaukee has been a fairly reliable bet for both moneyline and spread bettors this season, going 8-2 SU and 6-3-1 ATS in the last 10 games when favored by that mark or higher. When isolating the Bucks’ record as 5-point favorites on the road, they’ve been just as consistent for bettors at 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS dating back to last season. I’m likely going to back the Bucks at this mark since they’ve beaten this team already this season and were at one point up over 20 points in that game before letting Charlotte get back into it.
Hornets Have a Buzz to Them at the Spectrum Center
At 8-9 SU in 17 games this season, it may seem like just another season for the Charlotte Hornets in the Eastern Conference but there is a different feel to this squad this season and that may have to do with Kemba Walker. The seventh-year point guard is in a contract year and he has only failed to top 20 points in one game this year. He also notched a scoring feat that will unlikely be topped this season when he dropped a 60-burger on the Sixers just over a week ago.
The one stat that stands out for why Charlotte has the look of a playoff team in the East is how it takes care of the ball as the Hornets rank second in fewest turnovers per game this season at 12.3. Another facet of the game where I’ve been impressed with Buzz City is secondary scoring with Jeremy Lamb providing 14.3 points per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the floor.
Playing the second game of a back-to-back is usually a death knell for NBA teams and Charlotte’s record in that spot does not inspire confidence for me to back the Hornets as a home dog. They’ve gone 3-7 SU and 4-5-1 ATS in their last 10 games when playing on consecutive nights dating back to last season. That being said, they have covered in six of the last 10 games in this matchup so take whichever conflicting trend suits your interest but I’m fading Charlotte.
Should Totals Bettors Consider the OVER?
With the total Sportsbook at 235.5 and both of these teams involved, yes, you should. The total has gone OVER in 14 of the Bucks’ 19 games this season and they’re the highest-scoring team in the NBA. The Hornets are ranked sixth in points per game at 115.5 and the OVER has hit in four of their last five games with an average combined score of 236.2. While that may be a high total to take an OVER, the Bucks have scored 135 and 143 points in two of their last three games so they qualify among a small handful of teams this year that could easily bust 235.5.
My Pick Is…
To take the Bucks to win and cover the spread. Giannis is such a matchup nightmare that when he drives to the hoop, the passing lanes open up for all of Milwaukee’s three-point shooters and while I think the Hornets will have a decent showing, they should fear the deer in this one.
