The Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets square off in an Eastern Conference showcase on Saturday. The Bucks are 36-24 overall this season, including a 20-11 record in home games at Fiserv Forum. The Nets are 31-29 overall and 18-13 on the road this season. Kevin Durant (knee), Ben Simmons (reconditioning), and Joe Harris (ankle) are out for the Nets. Brook Lopez (back) and Pat Connaughton (finger) are out for the Bucks.
Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. ET in Milwaukee. Caesars Sportsbook lists Milwaukee as a nine-point home favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 235 in the latest Nets vs. Bucks odds. Before making 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 well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 69-41 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Bucks, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Bucks vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Bucks spread: Bucks -9
- Nets vs. Bucks over-under: 235 points
- Nets vs. Bucks money line: Bucks -450, Nets +350
- BKN: The Nets are 14-20-1 against the spread in conference games
- MIL: The Bucks are 16-23 against the spread in conference games
Featured Game | Milwaukee Bucks vs. Brooklyn Nets
Why the Nets can cover
Brooklyn stands out in key categories on both ends of the floor. The Nets are solidly above-average in offensive rating, scoring more than 1.11 points per possession. Brooklyn is in the top five of the NBA in free-throw accuracy, making 80.5 percent of attempts, and the Nets are in the top 10 in field-goal percentage (46.6 percent) and assists (24.8 per game). The Nets are above-average on the offensive glass in securing 27.4 percent of available rebounds, and the Bucks rank in the bottom 10 of the NBA in blocked shots, 3-pointers allowed and assists allowed on defense.
Brooklyn is also very good at contesting 3-point attempts, with opponents shooting just 33.5 percent from long distance. That ranks No. 3 in the NBA, and the Nets are above the NBA average in field-goal percentage allowed and assists allowed. Milwaukee is No. 20 in the league in assists per game on offense.
Why the Bucks can cover
Milwaukee’s defense is proven at the highest levels, giving up only 1.09 points per possession this season. The Bucks are securing 73.8 percent of available defensive rebounds, No. 6 in the NBA, and Milwaukee is in the top 10 in field-goal percentage allowed. Milwaukee is No. 7 in free-throw attempts allowed, with top-five marks in fast-break points allowed and points allowed in the paint.
On offense, the Bucks are also effective, ranking No. 6 in the league in overall efficiency, Brooklyn’s defense is below-average overall this season, and Milwaukee is shooting 36.1 percent from 3-point range. Milwaukee is making 53.9 percent of 2-point attempts, and the Bucks are in the top third of the NBA in free-throw creation (22.0 attempts per game), turnover rate (13.5 percent) and fast-break points (13.2 per game).
How to make Nets vs. Bucks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 226 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Bucks vs. Nets? And which side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on Saturday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
