Bucks Visit Phoenix Seeking Sixth Straight Win

After a slow start to the season, Milwaukee (16-8 SU, 13-11 ATS) is starting to roll. The Bucks carry a 5-0 SU and ATS run into Phoenix, where the Suns (14-9 SU, 14-9 ATS) could be without several key regulars for the second straight game. Oddsmakers opened Milwaukee as a 4-point road favorite.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

If you expect Milwaukee to win the game, this 4-point spread shouldn’t worry you too much. All but one of the Bucks’ victories this season have come by more than four points, and their last five wins have been by at least 13 points.

Milwaukee News & Notes

The offense has keyed Milwaukee’s recent 5-0 SU and ATS surge as the Bucks have scored at least 123 points in each of those contests. That includes Monday’s 125-112 win at Denver, when Milwaukee overcame the absence of starting guard Jrue Holiday to shoot 50.6 percent from the field and knock down 16 three-pointers, going OVER the total for the fifth time in the last seven games.

Bryn Forbes started at shooting guard Monday in place of Holiday, who is out indefinitely due to COVID-19 protocols. Forbes scored 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting against the Nuggets, although Milwaukee might have missed Holiday more on the defensive end. Denver scored 42 points in the Sportsbook quarter and Nuggets shooting guard Will Barton enjoyed his highest-scoring game of the season, tallying 24 points.

Khris Middleton took on more of a playmaking role in Holiday’s absence, recording a career-high 12 assists, but he still managed to score 27 points without a single three-pointer. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points and fell one rebound short of the 10th double-double in his last 11 games.

Phoenix News & Notes

Lack of depth could be a factor for the Suns on Wednesday as they play for the third time in four days and fourth in six. Phoenix was without five of its regular rotation players in Monday’s 119-113 win over the Cavaliers, and many of those players might be unavailable once again against the Bucks. That includes Chris Paul, who is listed as questionable with hamstring soreness.

Without Paul in the lineup Monday, Devin Booker stepped up his offensive game to score a season-high 36 points and dish out eight assists. E’Twaun Moore started in place of Paul and also enjoyed his highest-scoring outing of the campaign, scoring 17 in 40 minutes.

Forwards Abdel Nader (ankle), Jae Crowder (foot) and Dario Saric (ankle) are also questionable for Wednesday, which might force the Suns to rely on their defense even more than usual. Phoenix has been one of the NBA’s best teams at getting stops this season, ranking second in points allowed per game and fifth in opponent three-point percentage.

The Suns have also shown a tendency to step up their game when facing quality opponents, going 15-4 ATS in their last 19 games against teams with winning records.

Betting Pick: Bucks -4

Short rest and a thin roster catches up with the Suns in this one as Milwaukee continues to roll.