Assuming everyone plays, it will be a star-studded affair in the NBA on Tuesday night as the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Phoenix Suns in a rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals and a possible 2024 Finals preview with Kevin Durant and the Suns as short favorites on the NBA odds. 2024 NBA Expert Analysis Milwaukee vs Phoenix | MyBookie Sportsbook NBA Week 16
How to Bet Bucks at Suns NBA Odds & TV Info
When: Tuesday, 10 PM ET
Where: Footprint Center
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Suns -4 (total 244.5)
Suns vs Bucks Series History
First meeting of the season between the clubs with the Suns in Milwaukee on March 17. Despite losing three straight to the Bucks, Phoenix has won 6 of the last 10 in the series. The Suns have won 4 of the last 5 meetings in Phoenix but lost there last season 116-104. The Bucks used the three-point arc and free throw line to their advantage to pull out the win. Milwaukee finished 12-of-39 from beyond the arc, while the Suns finished 8-of-23. The Bucks also capitalized on 37 attempts at the free throw line, knocking down 24 of them, while Phoenix finished 14-for-16. Of course, the Bucks beat the Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals as well.
Why Bet on Milwaukee Bucks?
The Bucks played the second of a back-to-back on Sunday and it showed in the fourth quarter as they were outscored 40-13 by the Jazz in Utah to lose 123-108. Defensively, Utah tallied 15 points off seven turnovers over the final 1½ quarters. The Jazz also allowed only four baskets over the final 12 minutes. The Bucks scored 19 points off 16 Utah turnovers and did not give up a point off a turnover until late in the third quarter. Everything unraveled in the fourth quarter. Milwaukee played without injured starters Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton. Both should be back for this one.
Bucks Last 5
@ Jazz – L123-108 |
@ Mavericks – W129-117 | -tr>
@ Trail Blazers – L119-116 |
@ Nuggets – L113-107 |
@ Pelicans – W141-117 |
“We couldn’t script better shots,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said. “Every shot was wide open, but everything was front rim. Probably should’ve gone to the post more but they were going to double and make us throw out and still would’ve led to a jump shot. Good job by them.”
Antetokounmpo had 33 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds. He has posted double-digit assists in back-to-back games and seven of 17 contests since Jan. 1 after accomplishing the feat three times over 31 games before the start of the new year. He’s averaging a career-high 6.4 assists per contest this season to go along with 31.3 points and 11.4 rebounds. Giannis is on pace to become the first player in NBA history to average at least 30 points on 60% shooting in a season. He has 19 games this season with at least 30 points on 60% shooting, tying a career high he set last season. The last player to have 20 such games was Amare Stoudemire with the Suns in 2004-05.
Bobby Portis moved into the starting lineup for the first time this season in place of Lopez, who missed the contest for personal reasons. Portis responded with one of his best games of the campaign, knocking down four three-pointers en route to 27 points. He added a season-high three steals and seven boards. Damian Lillard added 12 points, six assists, and a season-high two blocks and didn’t look 100% healthy playing a second game in 24 hours.
While the Bucks won their first game under Rivers on Saturday in Dallas, they have lost three of four on the road trip since he took over on the bench on Jan. 29 in Denver. But there is a positive feel in the locker room, particularly because the players believe they are finally building a defensive identity. Over the last four games the Bucks have allowed an average of 118 points per game – nearly two full points below their season average heading into the game against the Jazz – and have held their opponents to under 30 points in eight of 16 quarters played.
According to Middleton, the team is still adapting to a new coach and implementing new strategies mid-season: “It’s kind of like a training camp on the fly. We’re talking through a lot of basics, walking through a lot of things on the court. So longer practices, longer film sessions, but it’s needed to figure out how to bond with this coaching staff and how they’re trying to get us to play and how we can adjust to it as quick as we can.”
Week 16 NBA Game Picks Odds Subject to Change | SPREAD | MONEYLINE | TOTAL |
---|---|---|---|
Phoenix | -4 | -170 | U 244.5 |
Milwaukee | +4 | +145 | O 244.5 |
Why Bet on Phoenix Suns?
Phoenix finished a seven-game road trip at 4-3 with a 140-112 win at Washington on Sunday. The Wizards kept it competitive for a little while. They trailed by 11 in the second before an 11-2 run by the Suns made it 74-54. It was 79-58 at halftime, with the Suns having shot 69% from the field. They finished the game at 61.4%.
Suns Last 5
@ Wizards – W140-112 |
@ Hawks – L129-120 | -tr>
@ Nets – W136-120 |
@ Heat – W118-105 |
@ Magic – L113-98 |
Bradley Beal scored a season-high 43 points in his return to Washington – he played 11 seasons with the Wizards before being dealt to Phoenix last offseason. He received a video tribute and standing ovation during player introductions before the game. Beal had 41 points after three quarters and then exited for good with 8:44 to play. He ended up setting a new season-high for scoring, which came directly on the heels of him shooting below 40% in each of his previous five games.
Kevin Durant wasn’t asked to do much in the blowout and had 18 points in just 26 minutes as Durant played a season-low minute total, just the second time this year he has played less than 30 minutes. In both of those games, which were blowout wins, Durant still finished with at least 18 points, three rebounds and three assists. Jusuf Nurkic added 18 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. It was his second game of the season with at least 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. His double-double performance marked his second over the last three outings.
Sunday’s win marked the 15th straight game the Suns have had the trio of Beal, Devin Booker and Durant healthy for. While other players have missed time in patches, it is a strong enough sample size to really dive in and assess how the Big 3 is performing, with 19 contests overall under its belt. Phoenix’s offensive rating since the 15-game spurt began drops from a phenomenal 125.5 to 102.2 once Booker is off the floor. And even on defense the plunge goes from a solid 113.4 defensive rating to terrible 124.8. Booker is 1-of-3 players this season to rank in the top-10 in both scoring (6th) and assists (10th), joining Luka Dončić and Trae Young.
Grayson Allen had an off game Sunday with just six points but leads the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage at 49.6%, as well as games with 8+ triples (4) this season, and is one of only two qualified players in the NBA shooting 50+ FG%, 40+ 3FG% and 88+ FT% (Kawhi Leonard).
Since Dec. 28, Phoenix is first in the entire NBA in effective field goal percentage (60.8%). That is a nod to the sheer breadth of shot-making that is present on this roster. They are No. 2 in offensive rating in that span. While the Suns may be 15th in defensive rating since they’ve been healthy, there are nine current playoff teams ahead of them in defensive rating during that stretch.
Overall, Phoenix’s starting five (Booker, Durant, Beal, Allen, Nurkic) has the fifth-highest point differential (+14.2 per 100) of any lineup that has logged at least 400 possessions this year.
Suns vs Bucks Expert Prediction
Suns 124, Bucks 120
NBA Conferences Winners
Eastern Conference
Boston Celtics +122 |
Milwaukee Bucks +228 |
Philadelphia 76ers +900 |
New York Knicks +920 |
Cleveland Cavaliers +1350 |
Miami Heat +1375 |
Indiana Pacers +2500 |
Orlando Magic +6200 |
Atlanta Hawks +10000 |
Chicago Bulls +22000 |
Brooklyn Nets +32000 |
Toronto Raptors +36000 |
Washington Wizards +65000 |
Charlotte Hornets +65000 |
Detroit Pistons +70000 |
Bet on the Eastern Conference |
Western Conference
Denver Nuggets +181 |
LA Clippers +295 |
Phoenix Suns +640 |
Minnesota Timberwolves +840 |
Oklahoma City Thunder +850 |
Los Angeles Lakers +1575 |
Dallas Mavericks +1750 |
Sacramento Kings +1975 |
New Orleans Pelicans +2100 |
Golden State Warriors +3200 |
Houston Rockets +20000 |
Utah Jazz +24000 |
Memphis Grizzlies +42000 |
San Antonio Spurs +60000 |
Portland Trail Blazers +60000 |
Bet on the Western Conference |
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