basketball | Sreda, Novembar 30, 2022 11:37 AM

New York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks Best Bet: Rolling With 14-5 Bucks

Sam Cox

New York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks Best Bet: Wednesday, December 1st

The 14-5 Milwaukee Bucks are 5.5-point favourites over the 10-11 New York Knicks on Wednesday night. Milwaukee is among the title favourites, and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing dominant two-way basketball. New York made a big move in the offseason, splashing the cash on Jalen Brunson, but is yet to reap the rewards.

New York is on the second night of a back-to-back, having comprehensively beaten the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. Milwaukee has a rest advantage after seeing off the Dallas Mavericks at the weekend. The Bucks are 4-3 against the spread when they have more rest than their opponents, and has covered in 11 of 17 games as favourites on the season. The Knicks are 6-7 against the spread as an underdog in 2022-23, which fits with the general pattern of this team winning the games they should and losing the games against superior opposition.

In this article:

New York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks Preview
New York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks Best Bet

New York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks Preview

Thu, Dec 01. 00:40 (UK time)

This is a meeting of the league’s best defence and the 24th-ranked defence. Milwaukee has multiple Defensive Player of the Year calibre players in Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday. New York is fouling too much, struggling to clean up the defensive glass, and only two teams allow more threes.

That isn’t a winning formula against the Bucks. Milwaukee is top 10 in three-point rate, and obviously has immense rim pressure in Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak also leads the league in free-throw attempts per contest, which should be an avenue for easy points against this foul-heavy Knicks defence.

On offence, the Knicks still do not shoot enough threes. Their lack of shot-making ability has also contributed to them ranking in the bottom 10 in three-point efficiency. Milwaukee’s defence was previously content with allowing threes, but they have changed their approach this season. Just six teams allow fewer threes, and their rim protection remains elite.

Serge Ibaka, Khris Middleton and Joe Ingles remain out for the Bucks, but Mike Budenholzer’s team have once again proven to be a juggernaut this season. Antetokounmpo is on course for a third MVP award, plus the complementary pieces are stepping up in a big way.

New York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks Best Bet

Even without arguably their second-best player in Middleton, the Bucks have a huge talent surplus over the Knicks. New York could get hot from downtown, but this Milwaukee defence is stifling opponents. Holiday can slow down Brunson. Lopez, Bobby Portis and Antetokounmpo can halt the Knicks’ attempts in the restricted area, where they shoot 34.9% of their shots.

When the Bucks win, it is often comfortable. They have covered this spread in four of their last six. New York is a measly 2-6-1, worst in the league, against the spread at home.