A pair of recent NBA champions will go head-to-head on Wednesday night when the Denver Nuggets (2023) host the Milwaukee Bucks (2021). Denver is 45-28 on the season and is currently third in the Western Conference standings, while Milwaukee is 40-31 and sits fifth in the East. However, both teams could be without their franchise cornerstones with Nikola Jokic listed as doubtful with an ankle injury, while Giannis Antetokounmpo is questionable with a foot injury. Additionally, Damian Lillard (calf) is out with blood clots.
Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET from Ball Arena in Denver, and you’ll want to keep a close eye on the NBA injury report in this one. The Nuggets are currently 6-point favorites in the latest Nuggets vs. Bucks odds, according to the SportsLine consensus, while the over/under is listed at 222.5 points. Before entering any Bucks vs. Nuggets picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters Week 23 of the 2024-25 NBA season on a sizzling 153-113 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $4,000. It’s also an outstanding 19-10 (65%) on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Denver vs. Milwaukee. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Bucks vs. Nuggets:
- Nuggets vs. Bucks spread: Nuggets -6
- Nuggets vs. Bucks over/under: 222.5 points
- Nuggets vs. Bucks money line: Denver -233, Milwaukee +199
- Nuggets vs. Bucks picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Nuggets vs. Bucks streaming: FuboTV (try for free)
Why the Nuggets can cover
The potential absence of Jokic looms large here, while Aaron Gordon (calf) is questionable and Christian Braun (foot) is probable. Denver is coming off a 129-119 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday where the Nuggets struggled from the 3-point line (11-of-36). However, Jamal Murray did have 28 points in the loss, and DeAndre Jordan filled in nicely for Jokic with 10 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists.
Peyton Watson also had 24 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots in the defeat, and he’ll continue to play a big role if Gordon is unable to return to the lineup. These two franchises have split their last 10 head-to-head meetings, but Denver does have a 6-4 advantage against the spread during that span. See which team to pick here.
Why the Bucks can cover
Meanwhile, Milwaukee is coming off a 108-106 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Monday where Antetokounmpo was in the lineup. The two-time NBA MVP had 31 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the narrow defeat, but the Bucks were crushed 52-36 on the boards and only shot 44.6% from the floor and 30.8% from beyond the arc.
However, they still covered on the road as 3-point underdogs and have now covered in six of their last seven on the road. With Milwaukee still chasing the Pacers for home-court advantage in a potential first-round playoff matchup, you can expect some urgency from the Bucks on Wednesday night. See which team to pick here.
How to make Nuggets vs. Bucks picks
The model has simulated Milwaukee vs. Denver 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, projecting 225 points, and it also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Bucks vs. Nuggets, and which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Nuggets vs. Bucks spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 153-113 roll on top-rated NBA picks since last season, and find out.
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