The Milwaukee Bucks have won four consecutive games against the New Orleans Pelicans, including a 24-point win on January 27th. This cross-conference game has important playoff implications, as each team is battling for seeding. The Bucks won't catch the Boston Celtics, who have already clinched the No.1 spot. The Cavaliers and Knicks sit a couple of games back of the Bucks, who could fall as low as fourth if they don't string together some wins to end the season. The Pelicans are in fifth place, two games ahead of the Kings in the first play-in spot. It is time to continue our NBA odds series with a Bucks-Pelicans prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The Bucks failed to win their third consecutive game at home on Tuesday, falling 128-124 to the Lakers. Milwaukee is just 5-5 over their last ten games, which allowed Cleveland and New York to stay in contention for the second seed. The Bucks had a difficult trip to the West Coast, losing three of four games, but have won four of six since.
The Pelicans dropped a disappointing game to the Thunder at home on Tuesday, losing by seven points as one-point underdogs. The Mavericks dominated the Kings, moving one game closer to passing the Pelicans for fifth in the West. The Mavericks and Kings have another big game on Friday, so if the Pelicans fail to beat the Bucks, at least one of those teams will close the gap even tighter.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Bucks-Pelicans Odds
Milwaukee Bucks: -2 (-110)
Moneyline: -130
New Orleans Pelicans: +2 (-110)
Moneyline: +110
Over: 223.5 (-110)
Under: 223.5 (-110)
How to Watch Bucks vs. Pelicans
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: Bally Sports, WMLW
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Bucks Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Bucks have won and covered in four straight games over the Pelicans. The Pelicans are in a disturbing trend, winning games against teams they should beat but failing to keep games close against the league's best teams. The Pelicans were blown out by the Orlando Magic last Thursday and then failed to show up against the Thunder at home. After the first, it was a one-point lead for the Pelicans, but the Thunder outscored them 40-24 in the second quarter and didn't look back.
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Pelicans have a statistical advantage over the Bucks over their last five games. The Pelicans are 16th in the league over the last five games, averaging 109.4 points per game. However, the Bucks continue to struggle on defense, ranking 23rd and allowing 116.
The Bucks offense against the Pelicans defense is an interesting matchup and will decide the game. Milwaukee is one of the best offensive teams over the last five, averaging 123.2 points per game. However, it's worth noting that they have run up the score against below-average defensive teams like the Suns, Nets, and Lakers. The Pelicans have the fifth-best defense over the last five games, allowing just 104 points per game.
Final Bucks-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
Defense wins championships at this time of year and Milwaukee's offense may not outscore their defensive issues in this game. The Pelicans will not want to drop two games in a row at home against playoff teams and will have a plan to shut down Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. The Bucks played a tough game against the Lakers on Tuesday night, that went to overtime and saw their stars play nearly 50 minutes. It will be difficult for them to get their legs underneath them for the first game of their road trip.
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Final Bucks-Pelicans Prediction & Pick: Pelicans +2 (-110)
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