The Charlotte Hornets (11-22) and Milwaukee Bucks (14-20) meet Friday. Tip-off from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is set for 8 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NBA odds around the Hornets vs. Bucks odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Bucks lead 2-1
The Hornets fell to the Golden State Warriors 132-125 Wednesday, failing to cover as a 4.5-point home underdog with the Over (250.5) cashing. F Brandon Miller led the way with 33 points on 14-for-29 shooting. Charlotte, despite losing 2 in a row, has gone 4-4 over its last 8 games. It is 5-3 against the spread (ATS) in that span and 17-15-1 ATS on the season.
The Bucks lost on a last-second buzzer-beater 114-113 to the Washington Wizards Wednesday. They failed to cover as a 10.5-point home favorite as the Under (234.5) hit. F Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied a team-high 33 points. Milwaukee has gone 3-3 straight up and 4-2 ATS across its last 6 games. It is 16-18 ATS on the season.
Hornets at Bucks odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Hornets +200 (bet $100 to win $200) | Bucks -250 (bet $250 to win $100)Against the spread (ATS): Hornets +5.5 (+100) | Bucks -5.5 (-120)Over/Under (O/U): 231.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)Hornets at Bucks key injuries
Hornets
F Miles Bridges (ankle) probableF Moussa Diabate (wrist) questionableC Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow) outF Grant Williams (knee) out
Bucks
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
Hornets at Bucks picks and predictionsPrediction
Bucks 115, Hornets 113
PASS.
There’s no playable moneyline wager. The Bucks (-250) are too expensive to consider, especially coming off a loss to one of the worst teams in the league. Similarly, the Hornets (+200) haven’t played well enough on the road to expect an upset here.
BET HORNETS +5.5 (+100).
Charlotte has covered at a high rate and is worth a play. The return of Bridges (who missed Wednesday’s game but is listed as probable) will be impactful. The Hornets are 7-3-1 ATS across their last 10 games.
The Bucks still seem like they’re figuring out how to mesh this roster with their multi-time MVP Antetokounmpo. They have scored 113 points or fewer in 2 of their previous 3 games since his return. Milwaukee is just 1-3 ATS in its last 4 home games.
Back HORNETS +5.5 (+100).
BET UNDER 231.5 (-105).
Neither of these teams pushes the tempo, which should limit scoring opportunities. The Bucks sit 26th in pace, and the Hornets rank 22nd.
The Bucks are 2-7 O/U in their last 9 games and 1-2 O/U since the return of the Greek Freak. The Hornets are 3-3 O/U in their previous 6 games and 13-20 O/U on the season. Take UNDER 231.5 (-105).
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