The Milwaukee Bucks have won each of their last three games and now face a New Orleans Pelicans team that has lost five of its last eight. Will Milwaukee keep it rolling with a fourth straight victory? Keep reading our Pelicans vs. Bucks picks and predictions to find out.
This game will be played at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, and tips at 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 25. The Bucks are 12-4 in home games this season, so they’ll be amped up for this one.
New Orleans Pelicans at Milwaukee Bucks betting preview
Injuries
Pelicans: C Steven Adams (probable)
Bucks: G Jrue Holiday (doubtful)
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Betting trend to know
The Bucks are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games as home favorites. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Bucks.
NBA sharp money and line movement report
By Patrick EversonFanDuel opened Milwaukee a 9-point favorite Wednesday afternoon, then bounced around a bit today, first to -8.5, then up to -9.5 before dipping to -8 midafternoon and remaining there as of 7 p.m. ET. The Pelicans are attracting 58 percent of point-spread tickets, while the Bucks are taking 51 percent of spread money. The total stretched from 240 to 243, then inched back to 242.5, with 51 percent of bets on the Under and 63 percent of money on the Over.
Check out the full line movement for this gameAgainst the spread (ATS) pick
The Bucks have won and covered in each of their last three games, and all of those were contests in which they were favored by double digits.
Milwaukee can easily come away with a big win in this one, and a lot of that has to do with New Orleans’ wing duo of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Both Zion and Ingram are excellent offensive players, with Zion actually on his way to his first All-Star Game this year. However, both of these guys have been miserable defensively since entering the league, with both nearly giving back everything they get offensively on the other end. Against a team with an explosive offense like the Bucks, that’s a big red flag.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton should both be able to get it going in this game, and the rest of Milwaukee’s role players should also thrive in a game with a lot of space. Keep an eye on Bobby Portis here. He has been a spark off the bench all year for the Bucks, and he now faces a team with a couple of slow-footed big men. That means they could be late to get out and contest his jumpers, and if he starts hitting some, he’ll be able to attack the rim.
PREDICTION: Bucks -9.0 (-110)
Over/Under pick
The Over has hit in each of the Pelicans’ last nine games, and they now run into a Bucks team that’s averaging 133.5 points per game in its last two. Milwaukee has a ton of firepower offensively, and that’s bad news for a New Orleans team that struggles to guard wings.
Antetokounmpo and Middleton should both be able to get themselves going in this contest, and the Bucks will also allow the Pelicans to put up some good numbers as well. Brook Lopez is a tremendous rim protector these days, but nobody in this league is capable of guarding Zion around the basket.
PREDICTION: Over 242.0 (-110)
Player prop pick
Middleton is coming off a 15-point performance against Minnesota, and it’s hard to imagine him struggling in another matchup against a lousy defense. He has the ability to cook virtually any defender the Pelicans throw at him.
Middleton has scored less than this point total in six of the last eight games, but this is just a great spot for him. The only thing that might hurt him in this game is if Milwaukee ends up blowing New Orleans out.
PREDICTION: Khris Middleton Over 21.5 Points (-110)
Pelicans vs Bucks betting card
- Bucks -9.0 (-110)
- Over 240.0 (-110)
- Khris Middleton Over 21.5 Points (-110)
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