We're ready to bring you our betting prediction and pick for today's NBA action as we take a look at this next cross-conference matchup between two heated teams. The Milwaukee Bucks (25-10) will take on the Houston Rockets () with both teams firmly in the playoff chase. Check out our NBA odds series for our Bucks-Rockets prediction and pick.

The Milwaukee Bucks are currently leading the Central Division and they hold the second spot in the Eastern Conference, just 2.5 games back of the Boston Celtics. After winning 9 of their last ten games, the Bucks dropped two bad losses to the Pacers in back-to-back games. They rebounded well with a 125-121 win over the Spurs, so they'll be hoping to build on their momentum here.

The Houston Rockets are currently third in the Southwest Division and they're the 8-seed in a tight Western Conference race. They've been able to string together wins here and there, but they've mostly split their contests in terms of wins and losses. With the season heating up, they'll need statement wins like one against the Bucks if they want to make some noise in the West.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of DraftKings. 

NBA Odds: Bucks-Rockets Odds

Milwaukee Bucks: -5 (-110)

Moneyline: -225

Houston Rockets: +5 (-110)

Moneyline: +185

Over: 238.5 (-110)

Under: 238.5 (-110)

How to Watch Bucks vs. Rockets

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT

TV: Bally Sports Wisconsin, Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Bucks Could Cover The Spread

After posting a great record to end December, the Bucks struggled once again to get past the Indiana Pacers with back-to-back losses in their most recent meetings. Neither game was very close from a defensive standpoint and the Bucks couldn't keep pace with their offense down the stretch. Their last game was a back-and-forth scrap with the San Antonio Spurs that saw the first meeting between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama. The two went toe-to-toe in the fourth quarter and exchanged blocks and dunks on both ends of the floor. Ultimately, Giannis got the best of Wemby after hitting two clutch threes in the final minute and laying down one last slam. Antetokounmpo finished with a staggering 44 points as the Bucks narrowly escaped with a 125-121 win.

Most of the Bucks' struggles have come on the road against high-powered offenses that play with a frantic pace. While the Bucks have prided themselves on defense in the past, this version of their squad isn't as sound on that end of the floor and they've fallen victim to keeping up with teams in high-scoring games. Their offense certainly woke up against San Antonio, but they still allowed easy buckets for Wembanyama down the stretch and weren't very good guarding in transition. For the Bucks to really be successful deep into the season, they'll need their defense to match the stride of their offense.

Why The Rockets Could Cover The Spread

The Rockets have put together a nice couple of wins to elevate them above .500 on the season and perhaps the best storyline for them has been the development of Alperen Sengun as their cornerstone big man. Dubbed “Mini-Jokic,” he's an extremely creative scorer and does a great job of passing the ball from the paint to his teammates. Rebounding comes second-nature to him and his scoring has taken a big leap over the last 10 games. He's now leading the team with 21.5 PPG and also leads them with 9 rebounds per game. He had a productive game against the bigs of Milwaukee in their first meeting with the Bucks, but they couldn't get the win as the Rockets fell 119-128 three weeks ago.

Fred Van Vleet has been sensational for the Rockets lately and his success has elevated them as a whole. His ability to run the offense and lead the team in assists allows for pure scorers like Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. to get good looks at the hoop. Missing Dillon Brooks on the defensive end for this one will leave them with a massive hole to fill against the size of Milwaukee. Still, the Rockets are one of the league's better home teams and they could catch this Bucks team sleeping if they come out the gates firing.

Final Bucks-Rockets Prediction & Pick

The Bucks own the season series against the Rockets at 1-0 and their first meeting was clearly a better all-around performance for the Bucks. While neither team has been performing well on defense, Giannis poses a huge mismatch against the smaller lineup of the Rockets and they're going to have a very tough time stopping him if he decides to attack the rim relentlessly. The Bucks have had their backs against the wall the last couple of days, so expect them to have a solid performance here and get back to their mid-season form.

Final Bucks-Rockets Prediction & Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -5 (-110)