- The slumping Nets visit the Bucks in NBA hoops on Saturday night, Feb 26
- Brooklyn was blown out by the Celtics on Thursday at home
- Find the odds, spread, and picks below
The Milwaukee Bucks officially begin their second half of the campaign on Saturday night as they prepare to host the Brooklyn Nets, who will have Kyrie Irving back in the mix for this contest. The tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 PM EST at Fiserv Forum.
The Nets’ struggles from post-All-Star break continued on Thursday, getting blown out by the red-hot Boston Celtics, 129-106. Brooklyn is now 2-8 in their last 10 games. The Bucks meanwhile, fell 123-120 in their last game on February 17th to Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nets vs Bucks Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Nets | +9.5 (-112) | +330 | Ov 234 (-110) |
| Milwaukee Bucks | -9.5 (-108) | -420 | Un 234 (-110) |
Odds as of February 25th at FanDuel.
Milwaukee is a 9.5-point favorite and has collected a 20-11 record on home court. They’ve also beat the Nets twice already this season and are enjoying a four-game unbeaten streak against their East rivals.
Nets Awaiting Return of Key Pieces
With 22 games left in the season, it’s crunch time for the Nets, who currently sit in eighth place with a 31-29 record. Kevin Durant has started to do more on-court work, but there isn’t yet a timetable for his return. As for Goran Dragic and Ben Simmons, it’s a similar situation. That being said, Brooklyn seriously needs to get all three of these players in the fold as soon as possible in order to secure a respectable seed for the playoffs.
Some noteworthy Brooklyn Nets related records …
5-14 — Nets overall record since Kevin Durant suffered his right knee injury.
7-17 — Nets overall record with Durant sidelined.
4-10 — Record with Kyrie Irving on the court since his return.
8-23 — When trailing into 4Q.
— Chris Milholen (@CMilholenSB) February 25, 2022
Their depleted group was absolutely dominated on Thursday by the Celtics at the Barclays Center, with the defense really dropping the ball. Boston’s entire starting five flourished, with Jayson Tatum dropping 30 points alone. As for the Nets, Seth Curry had an impressive night with 22 points, while Bruce Brown collected 15. Other than that, it was a quiet offensive performance, shooting just 24% as a team from three-point land.
Having Kyrie available here will certainly be valuable against the defending champions. There is also the possibility he is able to play in home games in the near future as New York City could potentially drop the vaccine mandate. Also, the Nets actually play better on the road in 2021/22, which is a good sign for this contest. They’re 18-13 away from Brooklyn.
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Bucks Back to Business
At 36-24, the Bucks are just three games out of first place in the Eastern Conference and Mike Budenholzer’s squad will have a three-game homestand to begin the second half. After the Nets come to town, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. host the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat, with the latter just slightly above them in the standings right now.
WE BACK!! pic.twitter.com/LYFW0YaPTq
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 25, 2022
While the All-Star break was a chance for the team to regroup, they’ve lost three of their last four games. Last time out, Joel Embiid and the Sixers imposing their will on Milwaukee at Fiserv Forum, with the Cameroonian leading his squad to victory with a ridiculous 42 points and 14 rebounds to outlast the Greek Freak’s 32, 11 boards, and nine dimes. Despite the defeat, it was a very well-rounded effort from the Bucks’ first unit, with all five players finishing with at least 17 points.
However, the defense was rather poor, with more than just Embiid thriving. Milwaukee will need to do a lot better at containing their opponents on Saturday and especially Kyrie Irving, who not only has the ability to drop 30 but also makes everyone around him better.
Nets vs Bucks Prediction
I have a hard time believing the Nets are going to take down the Bucks here given how they’ve been playing. Also, Milwaukee has beaten Brooklyn by an average of 12.5 points across the previous two meetings. I think you’re going to see the champs return with a vengeance and hand Steve Nash’s group yet another lopsided loss. Take them to cover the spread.
Pick: Bucks -9.5 (-108)
The post Nets vs Bucks Odds, Spread & Picks appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.
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