Bucks Seek Encore Performance
The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off one of the highest-scoring games in their history. It’s not a coincidence that the 150-point performance occurred in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return to the lineup.
Giannis and Co. will try to build off the win in Detroit when they host the Western Conference-leading Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. Nikola Jokic, who won the last two MVPs after Giannis claimed the previous two, returned from a hamstring injury to put in another outstanding effort Tuesday in New Orleans. Their potential matchup makes for a fun night of online gambling.
Let’s check the latest NBA news, stats, injury report and NBA lines for Nuggets vs Bucks. We’ve got plenty of NBA picks for you to consider.
Jokic, Nuggets Look to Start New Streak
With their MVP on the sideline, the Denver Nuggets saw their nine-game win streak come to an end against Oklahoma City on Sunday. Jokic, who also missed the previous game, notched his 15th triple-double in his return to the court against the Pelicans, finishing with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Most importantly, he hit the go-ahead shot with 16.9 seconds left to allow Denver to survive a sluggish affair.
“To hold a team to 98 points in today’s NBA, that doesn’t happen very often,” coach Michael Malone told the media. “To win a game by one point on the road against a very desperate team, we’ll take it.”
Having a repeat performance one night later after flying four hours north deep into the night won’t be easy. Keep an eye on the injury report to see who’s available (Jokic, especially) on the second half of a back-to-back.
Milwaukee Hoping for Healthy Stretch
The Bucks have been among the most banged-up units all season, but they may finally be hitting a calm stretch. Not only is Giannis back after a five-game layoff, but he was joined in Detroit on Tuesday by sharpshooter Khris Middleton, who hadn’t played since mid-December.
“The band is back together,” Giannis said after notching 29 points in 27 minutes.
Occasionally, any roster fluctuations can cause disruption, even if it is the return of a star. That wasn’t the case against the Pistons as Milwaukee put up 49 points in the first quarter and led by as many as 33 in a 150-130 romp.
“It was great to see everyone playing together with no real chemistry issues,” center Brook Lopez, who scored 21 points, told the media.
The victory with a stacked lineup was the third in four games for the Bucks, who were 5-8 in their previous 13 contests. And the game against Denver is one of five at home Milwaukee will play over its next six.
If you’re looking at a long-term bet online, you might want to see what the odds are for the Bucks’ chances this spring. They are potentially righting the ship.
Nuggets vs Bucks Game Injuries
Nuggets vs Bucks Head-to-Head
The teams have split the last two season series. Incredibly, the road team has won all four of the games in that stretch by an average of 22.8 points. Milwaukee visits Denver for the second game on March 25.
Nuggets vs Bucks Game Information
- Game: Nuggets (34-14) vs Bucks (30-17)
- Location: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisc.
- Day/Time: Wednesday, Jan. 25th, 8 p.m. ET
- Nuggets vs Bucks Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Nuggets vs Bucks Betting Lines
Nuggets vs Bucks Picks & Prediction
The Nuggets, who are already without Michael Porter Jr. (personal), figure to have to monitor minutes on the second half of a back-to-back. And they’ll be doing it against a team that looks primed to take off and has had a night of rest.
Take the Bucks to win rather handily, but hold your breath if Jokic is active and doing his thing.
Milwaukee is listed at -290 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Bucks, you have a chance to win $34. Denver is +240, offering a chance to win $240 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Milwaukee a 74.36% chance to win, with the Nuggets at 29.41%.