NBA 2022/23, on Thursday, 10.11.2022
The Milwaukee Bucks take on the Oklahoma City Thunder once again! This time, however, this unequal duel will not take place at the Fiserv Forum, but at the Paycom Center, which is located much further south.
Whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will play is not yet 100% certain. Depending on whether the Greek actually plays, I will give the guests a little more or less handicap in my Thunder Bucks tip for their renewed victory over OKC …
What a dream start the Bucks have had! The first nine games of the new season have all been won – and that despite the fact that absolute top players like Khris Middleton, Joe Ingles and Pat Connaughton have not yet been on the floor for a single second.
The main driver of the green-white offensive machinery in the first weeks was – “of course” – once again Giannis Antetokounmpo, who played every game until the first match against OKC last Sunday.
Until then, the “Greek Freak” scored an average of 32.6 points per game. Although the two-time MVP had to sit out against the Thunder due to a minor knee injury, that didn’t stop his teammates from winning without him.
The Bucks already won the first meeting against OKC without Giannis Antentoukompo by a relatively clear 108 to 94. Of course, the question of whether the Greek will return to the starting five for the rematch is not an insignificant one for my Thunder Bucks tip.
Depending on whether Antetokounmpo is back on the court, I’ll resort to a handicap bet, but either way: Milwaukee is currently the measure of all things and capable of defeating a weak franchise like the Thunder’s, even with a lack of replacements.
Oklahoma was literally crushed by the Bucks’ physicality in this first game. The rebound duel was clearly lost with 55 to 38. The underdog’s guards are simply not assertive enough to take on Lopez and Portis on the board.
Analysing the Bucks’ game more closely, there are several aspects that make them stand out this season. One, of course, is Brook Lopez, who is increasingly trying to land three-pointers from far out – and sinking them!
In this regard, I would recommend a customised player bet at Bet365 on the throwing performance of the Bucks’ centre – especially since he was already quite successful in the first duel with four of nine converted three-pointers.
In addition, of course, the Green and Whites seem to have worked on their Achilles’ heel in the off-season: Stopping opponents’ three-point attempts.
The Bucks locked down the half court last year with their imposing players, giving opponents more opportunities to try from long range in return – loosely based on the motto: If you were going to beat us, beat us with three-pointers.
And indeed, last year Milwaukee still led the NBA in the category “three-point attempts allowed” with an average of 40.6 per game. In the offseason, however, they worked on this construction site incessantly.
Currently, compared to the preseason, the Green and Whites are allowing an average of ten fewer attempts per game from beyond the arc.
I don’t want to badmouth the home side, by the way, as they are playing quite a successful season by their standards.
The doubleheader win over the Clippers can’t be explained away and the 117-111 overtime win over the Mavericks is a surprise to some basketball experts.
Consequently, I wouldn’t advise too much of a HC bet on the Bucks – especially if their Greek force of nature breaks again.
But if the Bucks stay true to their line and guard the board as vigilantly as they did in their first meeting against OKC, then the admittedly rather low win odds of 1.38 from the best sports betting providers are well justified.
Conclusion: I would not even speculate so much on a win for the Bucks.
I think this is also likely, but given the impressions from the first duel last weekend, there are other Thunder Bucks tips that I think are even more promising.
For example, another demonstration of power by the Green and Whites in terms of rebounds as well as some successful three-pointers by the always ambushing Brook Lopez.
But if Giannis Antetokounmpo should actually play, then I would definitely mark a Bucks win with a HC of -6.5 on my betting slip.
