The Brooklyn Nets are battling for the top seed in the Eastern Conference but face a tough road starting with Sunday afternoon's visit to the Milwaukee Bucks. It's the first of five straight away from home and two in a row against the Central Division-leading Bucks (39-24) for the Nets (43-21), who had a four-game winning streak snapped in Friday's home loss to Portland. Milwaukee leading scorer Giannis Antetokounmpo, the league's MVP the past two seasons, sat out Friday's win over Chicago due to an ankle injury but is listed as probable for Sunday. Kevin Durant is expected to be back in the lineup for Brooklyn after resting on Friday.
Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. ET from Fiserv Forum. The latest Nets vs. Bucks odds from William Hill Sportsbook list Milwaukee as the 2.5-point home favorite. The over-under for total points is set at 244. Before finalizing any Bucks vs. Nets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned over $9,400 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up over $1,400 on its top-rated picks this season and entered Week 19 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 97-60 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Bucks. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Bucks vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Bucks spread: Bucks -2.5
- Nets vs. Bucks over-under: 244 points
- Nets vs. Bucks money line: Bucks -140, Nets +120
- BKN: The Nets shoot a league-best 49.3 percent
- MIL: The Bucks average 48.1 rebounds, tied for the NBA high
Why the Nets can cover
Durant and Kyrie Irving average a combined 54.5 points and both shoot over 50 percent overall, but the duo has played only one full game together in Brooklyn's last eight. In that contest, Irving scored 34 points and Durant added 33 as the Nets rolled to a 128-119 victory over Western Conference power Phoenix. Since sitting out three games, Durant is averaging 30.7 points while hitting 7 of 12 3-pointers over the last three contests.
Forced to play without Durant and James Harden, who remains out with a hamstring injury, Irving averaged 24.0 points in April -- three points lower than any other month this season. The Nets are getting healthy with guard Bruce Brown and forward Nic Claxton not listed on the injury report. Brown (knee) had scored in double figures in three of four games before missing the last three and Claxton (health and safety protocols) had earned major minutes on the team's forward line.
Why the Bucks can cover
Antetokounmpo missed six games earlier last month but he was on a tear with four consecutive double-doubles prior to his latest injury, averaging 27.8 points and 14.0 rebounds in that span. The league's fifth-leading scorer at 28.0 points per game, the Greek Freak is shooting a career-best 56.8 percent from the floor. Antetokounmpo had a huge game at Brooklyn on Jan. 18 with 34 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals.
Forward Khris Middleton also had a big game against the Nets with 25 points and is averaging 23.8 points over his last four games while knocking down 13 3-pointers in that span. Point guard Jrue Holiday had recorded four-doubles in the past six games and scored 22 points against Brooklyn in the last meeting. Bobby Portis started in place of Antetokounmpo on Friday and notched his second straight double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
How to make Bucks vs. Nets picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 239 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Bucks vs. Nets? And which side of the spread hits more than 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a roll on NBA picks.
