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The Milwaukee Bucks (18-7) bring a three-game winning streak into a home contest with the Houston Rockets (13-9), winners of five straight.
The Bucks take the court as 7.5-point favorites against the Rockets. The game’s over/under is set at 231.
Bucks vs. Rockets Odds
Point Spread for Bucks vs. Rockets
The spread for this matchup is set at 7.5 points, with sportsbooks listing the Bucks as the favorite.
Milwaukee vs. Houston Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Milwaukee has -290 odds to win the game, while Houston is listed at +235 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the total for the game is set at 231 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- When: Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET
- Where: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- TV: BSW
Bucks vs. Rockets Betting Trends
The Bucks have put together an 11-13-1 record against the spread this season. Milwaukee has been the favorite in 24 games this season and won 18 (75%) of those contests. Bucks games have finished with a final combined score above the over/under 17 times out of 22 chances this season.
The Rockets have put together a record of 15-5-2 against the spread this season. Houston has been chosen as underdogs in 16 games this year and has walked away with the win seven times (43.8%) in those games. Games involving the Rockets have hit the over seven times this year.
Bucks vs. Rockets Key Players to Watch
Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo is putting up 31.2 points, 5.0 assists and 10.9 boards per contest. Damian Lillard is averaging 25.1 points, 6.9 assists and 4.5 boards per contest. Brook Lopez is posting 13.0 points, 1.4 assists and 4.6 boards per contest. Bobby Portis posts 12.7 points, 6.7 boards and 1.2 assists per contest. Defensively, he averages 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks.
Rockets
Alperen Sengun gives the Rockets 19.7 points, 9.0 boards and 5.2 assists per contest. He also averages 1.0 steal and 0.9 blocks. Fred VanVleet adds 16.4 points per game, plus 4.3 boards and 8.5 assists. Jabari Smith Jr. gets the Rockets 12.5 points, 8.9 boards and 1.8 assists per game, plus 0.6 steals and 0.8 blocks. The Rockets receive 17.8 points per game from Jalen Green, plus 4.5 boards and 3.0 assists.
What you need to know about the Bucks
The Bucks own a top-five offense this year, ranking second-best in the league with 124.2 points per game. On defense, they rank 23rd with 119.2 points allowed per contest. This season, the Bucks are averaging 44.0 boards per game (15th-ranked in NBA) and allowing 44.3 rebounds per contest (20th-ranked). This season, the Bucks rank 19th in the league in assists, averaging 25.5 per game.
Milwaukee posts 125.7 points per game when playing at home, compared to 122.1 points per game in road games, a difference of 3.6 points per contest. Milwaukee ranks fourth-best in the NBA with a three-point shooting percentage of 38.4%. It ranks sixth in the league by draining 14.3 threes per contest. Milwaukee ranks 14th in the NBA with 12.4 threes allowed per game this year. Meanwhile, it ranks eighth with a 35.3% shooting percentage allowed from three-point land.
The Bucks have a 5-5 record against the spread while finishing 8-2 overall in their past 10 games. Milwaukee has gone over the total in eight of its last 10 outings. The Bucks’ offense has been improved over their last 10 games, putting up 129.9 points per contest compared to the 124.2 they’ve averaged this season. Milwaukee has been more porous on the defensive side of the ball lately, giving up 121.4 points per game over its past 10 contests compared to the 119.2 points per game its opponents average on the 2023-24 season.
What you need to know about the Rockets
In 2023-24, the Rockets are fourth-worst in the league offensively (109.5 points scored per game) but best on defense (105.1 points allowed). In 2023-24, Houston is fourth-best in the league in rebounds (46.1 per game) and 18th in rebounds conceded (44.0). At 25.3 assists per game, the Rockets are 21st in the NBA.
At home the Rockets are scoring 110.6 points per game, 2.5 more than they are averaging away (108.1). In 2023-24, the Rockets are 15th in the NBA in 3-point makes (12.4 per game) and 19th in 3-point percentage (36.1%). Defensively, Houston is second-best in the NBA in 3-pointers conceded per game at 10.8. It is best in 3-point percentage conceded at 31.2%.
The Rockets are 7-2-1 against the spread and 7-3 overall in their past 10 contests. In its past 10 games, Houston has gone over the total three times. Houston has fared worse offensively over its past 10 games, posting 108.9 points per contest, 0.6 fewer points its than season average of 109.5. The Rockets are giving up 102.8 points per contest in their past 10 games, which is 2.3 fewer points than they are allowing for the season (105.1).
Bucks vs. Rockets Prediction & Pick
Our prediction to win this matchup is Bucks, and we expect that Rockets will cover the spread (Bucks -7.5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going under the posted total of 231 points.
How to bet Bucks vs. Rockets
You can bet on Milwaukee vs. Houston at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
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