We’ve got another exciting interconference contest on Thursday’s NBA schedule as the Milwaukee Bucks will host the New Orleans Pelicans. Milwaukee is 45-34 overall and 25-14 at home, while New Orleans is 21-58 and 7-33 on the road. The Bucks secure the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference with a win and a Pistons loss to the Knicks on Thursday before the Bucks and Pistons meet for a home-and-home over the final two games of the regular season. Giannis Antetokounmpo (shoulder) is probable, and Pat Connaughton (ankle) is questionable for the Bucks.
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. The Bucks are favored by 13.5 points in the latest Pelicans vs. Bucks odds, according to the SportsLine consensus. The over/under is 220.5 points. Before entering any Bucks vs. Pelicans 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 the final week of the 2024-25 NBA regular season on a sizzling 155-115 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $4,000. It’s also an outstanding 21-10 (68%) on top-rated NBA against the spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Milwaukee vs. New Orleans. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Pelicans vs. Bucks:
- Bucks vs. Pelicans spread: Bucks -13.5 on Caesars Sportsbook
- Bucks vs. Pelicans over/under: 220.5 points
- Bucks vs. Pelicans money line: Bucks -1010, Pelicans +653
- MIL: The Bucks are 4-1 against the spread (ATS) over their last five games
- NO: The Pelicans are 3-3 ATS over their last six games as a double-digit underdog
- Bucks vs. Pelicans picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Bucks vs. Pelicans streaming: FuboTV (try for free)
Why the Pelicans can cover
New Orleans was competitive with Milwaukee on Sunday in a 111-107 loss with Antetokounmpo out, but the Pelicans were also without any of their opening night starters on the court. The Pelicans are closing the season without their regulars, but the combination of veteran career reserves and young players looking to prove themselves in the league has New Orleans coming off back-to-back contests decided by five points or fewer.
Rookie guard Antonio Reeves, a second-round pick, had 23 points against the Bucks and followed that with 17 points against the Nets on Tuesday. Reeves was 9 of 19 (47.4%) from beyond the arc over those two games. Yves Missi (questionable), a 6-foot-11 center selected with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, had 18 points and 12 rebounds against the Bucks on Sunday and has the size to challenge Antetokounmpo. The Pelicans have shown the fight to keep contests within single digits lately, and that can continue on Thursday. See which team to pick here.
Why the Bucks can cover
The Bucks are still competing for seeding, and the No. 5 seed should be a large motivator as it avoids a meeting against the Knicks in the first round followed by a likely matchup with defending the NBA champion Boston Celtics in the second round if they pulled off the opening upset. Milwaukee has won five straight games as it clearly isn’t just resting up for the postseason. The Bucks are coming off a 110-103 victory over the Timberwolves despite entering as 6-point underdogs.
Antetokounmpo had his third triple-double over the last four games with 23 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against the Timberwolves on Tuesday. The nine-time All-Star is second in the league in scoring at 30.4 points, while adding 11.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists per contest. He’s been arguably the most dominant player in the league in April, averaging 32.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 12.8 assists over four April games, and that can lead to a lopsided Milwaukee victory on Thursday. See which team to pick here.
How to make Bucks vs. Pelicans picks
The model has simulated Pelicans vs. Bucks 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 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Bucks vs. Pelicans, and which side of the spread hits in 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Pelicans vs. Bucks spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 155-115 roll on top-rated NBA picks since last season, and find out.
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