Oklahoma City Thunder vs Milwaukee Bucks Betting Pick & Prediction 3/16/25
The Thunder (-168) are favored by 4 points over the Bucks (+141) in a non-conference matchup. Oklahoma City has won two straight games and is 55-12 on the year, while Milwaukee is 38-28 and has also won two in a row.
ESPN will televise the game, which is set to tip off at 9:00 ET. The over/under line for the game is 231.5 points.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS MILWAUKEE BUCKS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder -4
This game will be played at Fiserv Forum at 9:00 ET on Sunday, March 16th.
WHY BET THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 137-131 in favor of the Thunder.
- Our projections have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishing with 31 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
- From the field, we have the Thunder finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.7% and knocking down 16 threes.
Does Oklahoma City Have a Shot at a Road Win?
With a 113-107 road win over the Pistons on Saturday, the Thunder improved to 55-12 this season. Oklahoma City entered the game as -4.5 favorites and covered the spread, while the total score of 220 points fell short of the 231.5-point over/under line.
After a 14-0 run by Detroit in the 1st quarter, the Thunder responded by outscoring the Pistons 36-23 in the 3rd quarter. They entered the 4th with a 91-77 lead but were outscored 30-22 in the final period.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 48-point performance on 65.4% shooting led the Thunder to a win over the Pistons, as he hit 4 threes at a 66.7% rate. Cason Wallace added 20 points, shooting 60% from the field, while Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Oklahoma City shot 48.3% overall but struggled from deep, making just 10 threes at a 29.4% clip. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 points in the 3rd quarter, and added 11 more in the 4th.
Defensively, the Thunder held the Pistons to 107 points despite allowing 31 points in the 2nd quarter and 30 in the 4th. They were solid in the 1st and 3rd quarters, giving up just 23 points in each.
Oklahoma City sent Detroit to the line 13 times, where they made 9 free throws. The Thunder grabbed 34 defensive rebounds, gave up 6 offensive boards, and recorded 11 steals and 8 blocks.
Will Milwaukee Make it Happen at Home?
The Bucks improved to 38-28 on the season with a 126-119 win over the Pacers on Saturday. Milwaukee, playing at home, covered the -3.5 point spread, and the game’s total of 245 points went over the pre-game line of 235.5.
A key moment came when the Bucks went on a 14-0 run, extending their lead from 36-30 to 50-30. They dominated the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Pacers 35-22, but had to hold off a late Pacers rally in the 4th, where they were outscored 37-26.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a 126-119 win over the Pacers, scoring 34 points on 73.7% shooting, along with 10 rebounds and 7 assists. Damian Lillard contributed 25 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 6 threes at a 50% rate.
Milwaukee shot 54.4% from the field and 40.5% from three, making 15 threes in total. Giannis scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter, while Lillard added 8 in the 4th.
Defensively, the Bucks had a strong 3rd quarter, holding the Pacers to just 22 points, but they struggled in the 4th, giving up 37 points. Overall, they allowed 119 points on 47% shooting from the field.
From beyond the arc, the Pacers hit 17 threes at a 39% clip. The Bucks sent Indiana to the line 13 times, where they made 10 free throws. Milwaukee finished with 9 steals and 4 blocks.