Bucks vs Suns Odds, Spread and Picks
- The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns matchup on Wednesday night
- Milwaukee is in the midst of a challenging Western Conference road trip
- Get the latest odds, betting preview and a pick below
The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns are two teams still searching for their identities after major offseason moves. Milwaukee, currently second in the Eastern Conference, are on a difficult run of games, but they have picked up some good wins of late. It’s five Ws on the bounce for Mike Budenholzer’s team, including an impressive performance to get the better of Denver last time out.
Phoenix owns a winning streak of their own. The Suns have beaten Boston, Detroit and Cleveland in their last three, though it’s not enough to make them favorites for this matchup with the Bucks. Milwaukee is a four-point favorite.
The Suns have a busy injury report. Cameron Payne and Daric Saric are out. Chris Paul, Jae Crowder and Abdel Nader are questionable. Milwaukee is without Jrue Holiday (health and safety protocols).
Milwaukee Bucks vs Phoenix Suns Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Bucks | -5.5 (-110) | -210 | O 225 (-112) |
| Phoenix Suns | +5.5 (-110) | +175 | U 225 (-109) |
Odds taken on Feb 10 from DraftKings
The Giannis Challenge
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been working more off-ball this season. He’s operating as a screener more frequently, and Mike Budenholzer is giving the reigning MVP more reps at the five. Phoenix has been elite defensively this season, ranking fifth in defensive rating.
Deandre Ayton has improved as a defender, but that isn’t reflected in the on/off numbers. Phoenix has a defensive rating of just over 101 without Ayton. It’s at 113.4 when the former first overall pick is on the floor. This is a concern long-term, and it’s potentially an issue on Wednesday. Ayton is the only Sun with the size and athleticism to put up considerable resistance to Antetokounmpo.
Jae Crowder’s role has changed throughout this season. He took the Antetokounmpo assignment for the Heat in the playoffs, and had some success, but he risks being overpowered by the two-time MVP. Putting Crowder (if he plays) on Antetokounmpo will also force Ayton to guard Brook Lopez, which will pull him away from the basket.
Great win let’s keep on going🔥💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/nuD95QbCwo
— Giannis Ugo Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) February 9, 2021
There is no answer to Antetokounmpo. Even in what is supposedly a less dominant season, he is fourth in points per 36. Phoenix’s options are very limited, though, and while they’ve had success with non-Ayton lineups this year, that is less of an option for Monty Williams when Antetokounmpo is on the floor.
Filling Holiday’s Minutes
The Bucks were superb even without Jrue Holiday in their last game. Bryn Forbes stepped up into the starting line-up and Torrey Craig made three threes off the bench. Phoenix, if armed with Paul and Devin Booker, are a sterner task.
Milwaukee struggle to find a balance between perimeter defense and offense. Forbes and DJ Augustin cannot contain Paul and Booker, but giving Craig more minutes raises the long-running playmaking issues. How much ball handling and shot creation can Middleton handle against one of the league’s best defenses?
Bucks declined to comment on Jrue Holiday's absence other than to confirm he missed tonight's game due to the league's health and safety protocols.
However, teammate Khris Middleton indicated Holiday may have "tested positive" for COVID-19.
Middleton's post-game comments: pic.twitter.com/KzmHfxC9Co
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) February 9, 2021
Middleton has made a leap forward has a playmaker and passer. He’s averaging a career-high in assists and continues to improve as an off-the-bounce scorer. The pressure on him to deliver in this game is huge, though, and he will spend the majority of his minutes guarded by one of the league’s premier wing defenders in Mikal Bridges.
Injuries Hold Suns Back
Phoenix got a great win over Cleveland a couple of days ago. A 17-point outing from E’Twaun Moore was a real boost in Paul’s absence, and they shot over 45% from three as a team. They will get the chance to shoot plenty of threes against this Bucks team, but it’s ambitious to expect such productivity from Moore and knockdown team shooting.
Let’s not sleep on 35 year old @CP3 !! My guy got a lot of juice in the tank and he’s doing it every night.
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 4, 2021
Paul’s availability is obviously huge for evaluating this game. Given he’s only questionable at the time of writing, it’s reasonable to wonder whether the Suns will risk their veteran All-NBA guard for a February game. Crowder’s health is an important factor, too. He might not be the perfect option for Antetokounmpo, but he’s another body to throw at the Greek Freak. Dario Saric will be missed – the Suns could be relying on big minutes from Frank Kaminsky who was a -8 against the Cavs.
Holiday is a big miss for the Bucks. Their perimeter defense will be tested. The performance against Denver shows they can find a way to win even without their third star – Milwaukee’s moneyline is the best bet here.
Pick: Milwaukee Bucks Moneyline (-172)
Sam Cox is a freelance writer and sports junkie, who has spent the past several years immersed in the online gaming industry. He has worked with 888sport, Oddschecker, and Colossus Bets to name a few. Based in the UK, Sam also runs Franchise Sports with his brother.
