Two of the biggest basketball stars on the planet collide Monday at Ball Arena as Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks tangle with Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The Bucks (15-8 SU, 12-11 ATS) are beginning to roll with wins in four straight games, while the Nuggets (12-10 SU, 10-12 ATS) have dropped three of their past four contests.
- Date/Time: February 8, 9:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: Ball Arena
- TV Coverage: NBATV
- Sportsbook Odds: Bucks -3.5 | O/U 229.5 (Line History)
- Bucks vs Nuggets Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Bucks opened the betting cycle as 3.5-point favorites but are now sitting at -4.5 in the majority of spots. The total has also risen by a point after Sportsbook at 229.5.
Milwaukee News & Notes
Both Giannis and the Bucks got off to a bit of a slow start to the season but have caught fire with four consecutive wins by 18 or more points, including a pair of routs of the Cleveland Cavaliers in which Milwaukee finished with a +43 scoring margin. That’s nothing new for this team, which led the NBA in average scoring differential the past two years and is No. 1 again in 2020-21 at +9.9.
Giannis is always worth a look in daily fantasy and Monday is no exception but with a prohibitive price tag for cash-game lineups, who else can you trust on the Bucks? The answer is almost always Khris Middleton, who averages 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists but is strangely priced down on some DFS sites in what should be a high-scoring affair.
Denver News & Notes
The fact that the Nuggets remain in the mix for a top-four seed in the Western Conference despite boasting a mediocre defense is a testament to just how dominant Jokic has been this season. The seven-foot superstar ranks in the top seven in the NBA in scoring (27.2), rebounding (11.5) and assists (8.6) and is coming off an incredible 50-8-12 performance against Sacramento on Saturday.
Like Antetokounmpo, Jokic is going to cost you a king’s ransom to roster in daily fantasy on Monday, but his floor is so high that he’ll be popular despite the price tag. Another Nuggets player to consider for cash-game lineups: Small forward Michael Porter Jr., who is seeing his playing time tick back up following an extended COVID-19 absence last month.
Betting Pick: OVER 230.5 (-110)
The Nuggets are an unbelievable 15-6-1 O/U on the season – and given how both teams operate on offense, this game should be a track meet from start to finish.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- The Bucks are 4-16 SU in their last 20 games against Denver.
- The Nuggets are 6-3 ATS in their last 9 games.
- The OVER is 8-4 in Denver’s last 12 home games.
