Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24

At 3:30 ET, the Brooklyn Nets (10-13) will host the Milwaukee Bucks (11-11) at the Barclays Center. The Bucks are currently favored by 6.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 218.5.

Both teams are currently in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference standings, with the Bucks sitting in 7th place and the Nets in 8th. Milwaukee is also on a two-game losing streak.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS BROOKLYN NETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -6.5

This game will be played at Barclays Center at 3:30 ET on Sunday, December 8th.

WHY BET THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 143-91 in favor of the Bucks.
• Our projections have Giannis Antetokounmpo finishing with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists.
• From the field, we have the Bucks finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.3% and knocking down 17 threes.

Can the Milwaukee Offense Score Enough on the Road?

The Bucks fell to 11-11 on the season after a 111-105 road loss to the Celtics on Friday. Milwaukee entered the game as +8 point underdogs but managed to keep it closer than expected. The combined score of 216 points fell short of the 228.5-point O/U line.

Milwaukee took control in the 2nd quarter, outscoring Boston 30-24, and maintained a 4-point lead heading into the 4th quarter. However, the Celtics rallied in the final period, outscoring the Bucks 33-23 to seal the win.

In their 111-105 loss to the Celtics, the Bucks shot just 42.6% from the field and made 11 threes at a 37.9% clip. Damian Lillard led the way with 31 points, including 12 in the 2nd quarter, while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Gary Trent Jr. chipped in 11 points, hitting 3 threes at 60% efficiency. Lillard connected on 4 threes, though at just 33.3% from beyond the arc.

Defensively, the Bucks gave up 111 points to the Celtics, with their toughest stretch coming in the 4th quarter, where they allowed 33 points. However, they held Boston to 29 points in the 1st quarter and 25 in the 3rd.

Milwaukee limited the Celtics to 46% shooting from the field and 32% from beyond the arc, where Boston made 17 threes. The Bucks also sent the Celtics to the line 16 times, where they hit 14 free throws. On the boards, Milwaukee gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Are Brooklyn Ready for a Home Win?

The Nets improved to 10-13 on the season with a 99-90 win over the Pacers on Wednesday. Brooklyn, who were +3 point underdogs, covered the spread at home. The game’s total score of 189 points fell well short of the 225-point over/under line.

Brooklyn took control early, outscoring Indiana 24-17 in the 1st quarter and 27-18 in the 2nd. The Pacers made a push in the 3rd, winning the quarter 35-24, but the Nets responded in the 4th. A key 10-0 run extended their lead from 82-80 to 92-80, helping them close out the game.

In their 99-90 win over the Pacers, the Nets’ offense was led by Cameron Johnson, who hit 7 threes at a 53.8% rate, finishing with 26 points and 7 rebounds. Johnson scored 11 points in the 1st quarter, adding 6 more in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Nicolas Claxton contributed 16 points on 87.5% shooting, while Shake Milton added 15 points, 8 of which came in the 2nd quarter. As a team, the Nets shot 43.2% from the field, making 12 threes at a 33.3% clip.

The Nets put together a strong defensive performance on Wednesday, holding the Pacers to just 90 points. They were especially effective in the 1st and 2nd quarters, where they allowed only 17 and 18 points, respectively. Even after giving up 35 points in the 3rd, they bounced back in the 4th, limiting Indiana to 20 points.

Brooklyn’s defense was solid from beyond the arc, as they held the Pacers to 24% shooting from three, with just 8 made threes. The Nets also controlled the boards, allowing only 5 offensive rebounds, while adding 12 steals and 6 blocks.