Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks will face each other in one of the most interesting matches of the NBA Thursday’s action. The hosts want to stay the most dominant team in the league and continue their successful run. The away side has played well lately, and they hope to keep up with good performances.
Phoenix is one of the title contenders, and they currently have the best record in the NBA this season. However, they want to show that on the court against one of the strongest Eastern Conference teams. On the other hand, Milwaukee raised its form, and they eye a positive result against a strong opponent.
Phoenix Suns – Can they continue winning at home?
The Suns return home after a four-game tour, during which they booked three straight wins coming to this clash. They top the Western Conference with a 44-10 record, being three wins ahead of the Golden State Warriors. Phoenix has been pretty confident on the home court lately, losing just once in the previous seven games in front of their fans. In their latest match, the Suns were better than the 76ers, booking a 114-109 victory. The game was very tight, but Phoenix was better in the final period despite having a 23.1 three-point percentage.
Devin Booker is the Suns’ top scorer with 25.7 points per game while having 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists as well. Chris Paul is the best assistant on the team with 10.5, while he also does very well in defense with a team-high 1.9 steals. Besides that, he produces 15 pts per game on average. JaVale McGee has 7.1 rebounds and 10 points, while Deandre Ayton scores 16.1 pts and dominates the paint with 10.4 rebs.
Expected Line-Up: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Deandre Ayton
with best odds
Milwaukee Bucks – Can they beat the Suns on the road?
The Bucks lead the playoffs race in the Central Division with a 35-21 record, being two wins ahead of the Cavaliers and the Bulls. Milwaukee is in a series of four straight wins, and this is going to be their fourth consecutive road game. They were pretty productive lately, scoring 130+ points in each of their previous three matches. In the latest one, they managed to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 131-116, having very good field-goal and three-point percentages. Giannis Antetokounmpo led them to the victory with 44 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks, and a steal for 35 minutes on the court.
Antetokounmpo is one of the NBA’s leading players with 29.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game on average. Jrue Holiday tops the assists charts with 6.7 while having 1.5 steals and producing 17.9 points per contest. Khris Middleton has 19.5 points, while Bobby Portis scores 15.6 pts and has 9.1 rebs per contest. On the other hand, George Hill will be out of the selection on Thursday evening.
Expected Line-Up: Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis
Expert Pick #1 – Milwaukee Bucks +3.5 @-110
It’s going to be a clash of the two elite teams, and it can easily go either way. However, I see the value in backing the visitors ATS here since the Suns will miss Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, and Abdel Nader again. Therefore, my first pick is the Bucks to cover the number.
Expert Pick #2 – Over 233.5 @-110
These two sides are among the top five in the offense efficiency, and I expect another high-scoring game here. The Over cashed four times in the Suns’ last five games, while five of Milwaukee’s previous six matches went over the margin. So, let’s go with the Over as the second bet.
Expert Pick #3 – Milwaukee Bucks Over 115.5 @-105
Consequently, I believe the Bucks can put on quite an offensive display here, producing at least 116 points. They scored 130+ pts in the last three outings, and the visitors might keep their scoring run on fire. Therefore, it’s going to be my third pick at almost an even money odds.
