The Bucks are coming off of back-to-back losses in Miami, both of which were played without their All-World Point-Center, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Getting ‘stuck’ in Miami for three days in January doesn’t sound so bad, but it’s not ideal if you want to stay focused and win basketball games. Of course, that challenge is significantly harder if you’re playing without your best player.
After an uneven performance in Atlanta, where he finished with seven points on 3/10 shooting, Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out the back-to-back Miami games due to knee soreness. He and his running mates, minus Joe Ingles, whose minutes are being closely monitored, will be back at full strength to take on a Pacers team that is also dealing with injuries to their best players.
Tyrese Haliburton remains out for the Pacers, and Myles Turner is questionable heading into this one; he’s missed multiple games with a back injury.
Pacers vs. Bucks Betting Odds
| Pacers | Bucks | |
| Spread | +10.5 | -10.5 |
| Moneyline | +210 | -240 |
| Over/Under | 229.5 |
*Lines accurate at the time of publication
Pacers vs. Bucks Best Bets
Bucks -10.5 (-110, FanDuel)
Laying double-digits in the NBA is never a great feeling, but the Bucks are well-positioned to dominate the Pacers on Monday afternoon. They’ll be looking to get back on track after stumbling in Miami, and the Pacers are catching them at the wrong time. The Bucks have an advantage on the glass that’ll be too difficult to overcome, especially if Myles Turner is forced to miss this contest. Even with Turner active, the Bucks should have an advantage in creating more possessions. Milwaukee is one of the league’s top rebounding clubs, while the Pacers allow the second-most offensive rebounds at 12.2 per game.
The Pacers allow 30.5 points per game in the first quarter, third-most on the season, and a league-high 36.3 over their past three contests. They’re going to dig themselves a hole here early and struggle to dig their way out of it.
I like backing the Bucks in the first half, and the full game spread.
Risk: 1.1 units on FanDuel to win 1 unit. (Playable to -115)
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