NBA Betting – Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks
Teams looking to overcome troubling ends to last season collide on Christmas day when the Milwaukee Bucks host the Golden State Warriors. The Bucks have been one of the top teams in the NBA the past two seasons, unfortunately that hasn’t translated to playoff success. They were ousted in the Eastern Conference semis by the Miami Heat just a few months ago. In an attempt to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974 they inked Giannis Antetokounmpo to a max contract and strengthened the roster around him. The Bucks are projected to be among the league’s elite again. Injuries derailed the Warriors sending them to the bottom of the league standings with just 15 wins. Bookmaker.eu is offering a generous welcome bonus (max bonus $1000).
Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks
Date and Time: Friday, December 25, 2020, 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Opening NBA Odds: Bucks -9/O/U 233.5 (Live Odds Here)
Warriors at Bucks TV Coverage: ABC
Odds Analysis
There really is nowhere for the Warriors to go but up after winning just 15 of 65 games. They weren’t a bad bet going 31-34 ATS and cashed in some big games as an underdog, but that’s not going to be the case this year. Getting Steph Curry back and the addition of top pick James Wiseman will at least put them closer on the line. Playing as a 7-point dog on the road in the opener, the Warriors were hammered by the new-look Brooklyn Nets, 125-99. We could see more of that early with Draymond Green on the shelf and a different set of players being incorporated into the game plan. The Bucks had the NBA’s best record for a second consecutive season, but in the end it meant nothing. They were denied a trip to the Finals both years despite a gaudy 116-39 ledger.
Golden State Warriors
Going from five straight Finals appearances to 15 wins was tough for the Warriors, but there were significant contributors to the failure, most notably the injuries. The Splash Brothers barely made a ripple with Klay Thompson missing the entire season and Stephen Curry playing just five games. The Warriors were forced to use 22 different players leading to just 15 wins, the fewest since the franchise relocated to the Bay Area.
Things were going to be different in 2020-21. Both Curry and Thompson would return and the team added a lottery pick by having the NBA’s worst record. But the problems persisted during the short offseason when Thompson sustained another injury that will keep him on the shelf for a second straight campaign. Top pick James Wiseman gives the Warriors an element they haven’t had or needed much during their five straight trips to the NBA Finals. The athletic big man will complement the outside game that’s punctuated by Curry’s threes.
While the Warriors will be better than their 15-50 record from a season ago, it’s hard to imagine a return to the Finals is imminent. Draymond Green proved he’s just an average player when forced to take on a bigger role. Green averaged 8.0 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting below 40 percent from the field. The start of the new season looked a lot like the last one – the Warriors were pounded 125-99 by the Nets. Curry was rusty hitting just 2 of 10 triples for 20 points and once vaunted defense was powerless to stop Brooklyn.
Milwaukee Bucks
Looking to find the right mix of players to go alongside Giannis, the Bucks made some moves. They were forced to do something after two straight playoff flameouts after posting the league’s best regular season record. Locking up Antetokounmpo to a max deal was the first step, so the foundation is built. Still in his prime at 26, Antetokounmpo locked up his second straight MVP by averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists last season. He hasn’t gotten the Bucks to the Finals, but the supporting cast this season appears stronger.
The most important addition is Jrue Holiday, who brings a hard-nosed approach to a team that definitely lacked that in their playoff loss to the Heat. “I feel like this year, honestly adding me, I feel like we do have this extra toughness. Not saying that they didn’t have it before, but I think with me here, with my attention to detail, with how I play defense, I really just think that we can get over the hump,” Holiday said.
The Bucks have been one of the most efficient offensive teams the last two seasons with Khris Middleton a big part of that. After averaging 20.9 points while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor, Middleton is motivated to put the past failures behind him. The Bucks led the NBA with 118.7 points per game last season shooting 47.6 percent from the floor, the second-best mark in the league.
Bet Warriors at Bucks at BookMaker.eu
The Bucks have little to prove during the regular season. Their legacy will be defined by what happens in the postseason. But wins in the first week of the campaign mean just as much as in the last week, so expect the Bucks to show a little attitude against a Warriors club that just got whacked in their opener and starts the season with four straight on the road.
NBA Score Prediction: Bucks 125, Warriors 111
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today.
- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com
