One of the games on tap from Friday’s slate features the Milwaukee Bucks(49-31) squaring off against the Oklahoma City Thunder(55-25).
The Bucks have won each of their last two games. However, Damian Lillard is questionable for this matchup and Giannis Antetokounmpo is out indefinitely due to a calf injury. This could be a major blow to the team’s title hopes.
The Thunder have won seven of their last 10 decisions. Even more important, they are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second-best record out west, as both teams trail the Denver Nuggets by just one game.
Can the short-handed Bucks pull off the upset or will the Thunder roll to their fourth straight victory?
Bucks vs. Thunder Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | MoneyLine |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | -14.5
-112 |
O 223.5
-110 |
-1000 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +14.5
-108 |
U 223.5
-110 |
+650 |
| **Odds Subject to Change** | |||
Thunder vs. Bucks Game Details
- Fixture: Milwaukee Bucks @ Oklahoma City Thunder
- Date and Time: Friday, April 12, 2024 @ 8:00 PM ET
- Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
- TV: NBA TV, KSBI and WMLW
Apex Tale of the Tape
|
Milwaukee Bucks |
vs. |
Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 55-25 | Record | 49-31 |
| 119.8 | Points Per Game | 119.5 |
| 49.8 | FG% | 48.8 |
| 38.9 | 3PT% | 37.4 |
| 41.9 | Rebounds Per Game | 44.3 |
| 113.1 | Points Allowed Per Game | 116.3 |
| 45.6 | Defensive FG% | 46.9 |
| 36.3 | Defensive 3PT% | 35.7 |
| 78.8 | Defensive FT% | 80.4 |
| 32.9 | Defensive Rebounds Per Game | 33.7 |
| 3-2 | Last 5 W-L | 2-3 |
| 97.4 | Team Pace | 97.7 |
Key Stats
Milwaukee Bucks
- The Bucks are 3-6 ATS in their last nine contests.
- Milwaukee is 5-1 ATS in its last six matchups against OKC.
- In their last nine April games, the Bucks are just 2-7 against the spread.
Oklahoma City Thunder
- The Thunder are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games.
- OKC is 0-6 ATS in its last six matchups against Eastern Conference opponents.
- In their last 15 April games, the Thunder are 5-10 against the spread.
Injury Report
Milwaukee Bucks
- Damian Lillard — Doubtful (Hip)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo — OUT Indefinitely (Calf)
- AJ Green — OUT (Ankle)
- Jaylin Galloway — OUT (Ankle)
Oklahoma City Thunder
No injuries to report
Game Prediction
Oklahoma opened as a consensus 6.5-point favorite That line has climbed up to 15 points for the home team (per Pre-Game.com). The Thunder have been a 14.5-point favorite six times this season. In those contests, they are 5-1 against the spread. .
On the flip side of the narrative, the Bucks are 3-7 against the spread as road underdogs this season. Given these trends, combined with the fact that Milwaukee could be without its top two scorers, going with the home team to cover is the smart play here.
The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 226 points (per OddShark). At the time of this writing, the line has moved to 223.5 points (via DraftKings). These two teams are averaging 239.3 points per game this season. This is 15.8 points higher than the projected points total.
Additionally, opponents of these two squads have averaged 229.4 points per contest, which is 5.9 points more than the point total for this matchup. That said, go with the “over” total here.
Final Pick
Oklahoma City Thunder -14.5 (-110) and Over 223.5 (-110)
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