The NBA continues Sunday with an elite interconference matchup! It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Nuggets-Bucks prediction and pick.
The Denver Nuggets are finally in a groove this season as they are increasing their winning percentage. They have won four-straight games even though three of them were to teams with losing records. Denver is now (27-21) on the season which is good for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. This will be their fourth game on their road trip.
As for the Milwaukee Bucks, they are (31-20) on the season which puts them in the 4th spot in the East. Milwaukee is coming off a win over the New York Knicks after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the game prior. The top of the East is very tight so every single game matters at the moment. This should be a great game to witness.
Here are the Nuggets-Bucks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Nuggets-Bucks Odds
Denver Nuggets: +6.5 (-110)
Milwaukee Bucks: -6.5 (-110)
Over: 233 (-110)
Under: 233 (-110)
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Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread
With the way the Nuggets are currently playing, they have a chance to cover this spread on the road. Nikola Jokic seems to have put himself back at the top of the MVP conversation once again as he is leading the Nuggets to four consecutive wins. The reigning MVP is averaging 26.2 points per game which is 7th in the NBA. His counterpart, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is 4th in the NBA in scoring at 28.8 points per game. The MVP race will likely go down to those two unless DeMar DeRozan continues to play well for the Chicago Bulls.
Jokic vs. Antetokounmpo will be an exciting matchup to watch but it won't be just those two going back-and-forth. For the Nuggets, they need Aaron Gordon and Austin Rivers to step up as well. With DeMarcus Cousins backing up Jokic, that makes for a very good offensive frontcourt. That is how they will cover this spread, is by controlling the paint and taking advantage of the Brook Lopez absence for Milwaukee. The Nuggets are not good against the spread this season as they are just 20-28, but neither are the Bucks as they are 22-29.
Why The Bucks Could Cover The Spread
Milwaukee will cover this spread if Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are on their game. Middleton is averaging north of 20 points per game this season. Another name that is coming back to form is Jrue Holiday, who is fresh off of a 24-point, 10-assist performance against the Knicks. If their big-three is on their game then there won't be anything the Nuggets can do to stop them. On the defensive end, they need to try and find a way to contain Jokic. He's dominating the league right now and Milwaukee only has Bobby Portis who can really defend him. They likely won't be putting Giannis on Jokic at all in this game unless it's a switch off of a screen.
The Bucks are the favorites at home and that is the right decision. They are 18-8 at home and the Nuggets are 14-12 away from home. The Bucks won the last matchup earlier in the season 120-109 after Antetokounmpo scored 24 in the win. The Nuggets have been playing better recently compared to the Bucks as they are (7-3) on their last 10 games, with Milwaukee going just (5-5). The Nuggets have been scoring the ball well lately, so if the bucks want to cover this spread they must defend better than they have because the Nuggets are averaging 117 points in their last 10 games.
Final Nuggets-Bucks Prediction & Pick
This has the makings of being a really high-scoring and close affair. I'm not sure who will come out on top but I do think these seven points are a little too much for the Nuggets right now. They are playing well and finding ways to win. However, the Bucks are healthy for the most part and are dominant at home. This should be a very close game but I do expect the Bucks to win, just not by seven.
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Final Nuggets-Bucks Prediction & Pick: Nuggets +6.5 (-110) & over: 233 (-110)
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