Oklahoma City Thunder vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 12/04/2024, 05:30  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 12/04/2024 at 06:30 in NBA Predictions

The Milwaukee Bucks will head to the Paycom Center to take on the Oklahoma Thunder in the NBA on Friday night. The hosts are 55-25 and third in the Western Conference while the visitors are 49-31 and second in the Eastern Conference. 

The major headline from the Bucks is that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a calf injury. This leaves Milwaukee vulnerable to potentially losing the second seed if they drop both remaining games and the Knicks win their final two matches. However, despite the absence of their star player, the Bucks showed resilience on Wednesday night with a convincing 117-99 victory over the Orlando Magic. In Giannis's absence, Bobby Portis stepped up with an impressive performance, tallying 30 points, nine rebounds, and a career-high five steals, while Damian Lillard contributed 29 points and nine assists. Milwaukee boasts the NBA's fourth-ranked offense, averaging 119.5 points per game, while Oklahoma City ranks 12th in defense, allowing 113.1 points per game. However, Milwaukee's defensive performance has been subpar, ranking 21st in the league and conceding an average of 116.3 points per game. Despite their offensive prowess, there is room for improvement on the defensive end. Khris Middleton, Jaylin Galloway, and MarJon Beauchamp are out. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are gearing up for their playoff push, currently holding the third spot in the Western Conference. While they would lose a tiebreaker against Minnesota, and still trail Denver by one game with only two games remaining, the most likely scenario is that the Thunder will maintain their position as the third seed in the West. In a commanding performance on Wednesday night, Oklahoma City displayed their focus, routing the Spurs 127-89. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with 26 points in just 26 minutes, supported by Josh Giddey's 20 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, along with Gordon Hayward's 18 points contribution. Offensively, the Thunder rank third in the NBA, averaging 119.8 points per game, a mere 3.5 points higher than the 116.3 points conceded by the Bucks. On the defensive end, they have surpassed expectations, allowing just 113.1 points per game, earning them the 13th rank in the NBA in that regard. They have a full roster available.