It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Bucks-Knicks prediction and pick. The Bucks have been a massive disappointment at the start of the season, while the Knicks have been inconsistent.
The Bucks were great last year, but they were not up to the standard that they normally were, and there were a lot of new things about the roster, with Doc Rivers joining mid-season and it being Damian Lillard's first season there. They have struggled so much to start the season, and they are on a six-game losing streak entering this game.
The Knicks have been inconsistent since the start of the year. Their keys are Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns because they are the best players and should provide the best scoring options for a team that desperately needs to be solid on offense. The Knicks have the talent to be in the mix for the Eastern Conference this season.
Here are the Bucks-Knicks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Bucks-Knicks Odds
Milwaukee Bucks: +7.5 (-114)
Moneyline: +240
New York Knicks: -7.5 (-106)
Moneyline: -295
Over: 223 (-110)
Under: 223 (-110)
How To Watch Bucks vs Knicks
Time: 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin/MSG Network
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Bucks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Bucks' offense was great last season. They were fifth in scoring at 124 points per game, 3rd in field goal percentage at 53.8% from the field, and 3rd in three-point shooting at 43.2% from behind the arc. Four Bucks have hit at least double digits in scoring through seven games, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way at 31 points per game. Then, Damian Lillard leads the way in assists per game at 6.7, and Giannis is just behind at 6.2. This team goes as Giannis goes, and with Damian Lillard, year two was supposed to be much better, but the start has been awful, and they need to turn it around. It might be a good place to start this game against the Utah Jazz.
The Bucks' defense struggled last season. They allowed 116.4 points per game, 47% from the field and 35.6% from behind the arc. They have a great front line with Brook Lopez, Giannis, and Bobby Portis. Antetokounmpo leads rebounding at 12.3 per game, while Lopez leads in blocks at 2.6 per game. Then, with on-ball defense, two players are averaging one steal per game, with Taurean Prince and Brook Lopez tied for the lead at 1.1. The Bucks have the pieces to be great on defense, but they need to show it after struggling last season. They have started slowly this year, but there is talent on this roster, and they need to figure it out as soon as possible. This would be a great place to start.
Why the Knicks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Knicks' offense struggled last season. They were 19th in scoring at 112.8 points per game, 20th in field goal percentage at 46.5% from the field, and 14th in three-point shooting at 36.9% from behind the arc. Then, this season, six players on the Knicks are averaging over double digits in scoring, with Jalen Brunson leading at 25.3 points per game. Then, Brunson also leads the way in assists at 5.7 per game. Brunson is the key for the Knicks on offense because he makes this team go. Karl-Anthony Towns is a decent pickup for the offense, too, and it will rely on both of them.
The Knicks' defense was great last season. They allowed 108.2 points per game, 47% from the field and 36.5% from behind the arc. Karl-Anthony Towns leads the way in rebounding this season with 13 per game. He is also the leader in blocks per game at one, which is also tied with Ariel Hukporti. Finally, four players are averaging at least one steal per game, and Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are tied for the lead in steals at 1.4 per game. This defense is the key for the Knicks because they showed how good they were last year.
Final Bucks-Knicks Prediction & Pick
The Bucks badly need this game when compared to the Knicks. The Bucks are the more talented team on paper but are in disarray. The Bucks might also be without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, while the Knicks have some injuries but not as many important players out. Expect the Knicks to cover and win in a close game and send the Bucks spiraling even more.
Final Bucks-Knicks Prediction & Pick: New York Knicks -7.5 (-106)
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