Suns vs Bucks Odds, Lines & Predictions (Feb. 26)
- Milwaukee is laying five points to Phoenix in the Suns vs Bucks odds on Sunday
- Kevin Durant (knee) is out, while Giannis Antetokounmpo (quad) is doubtful
- Check out the latest Suns vs Bucks odds, plus injury updates and predictions
A potential NBA Finals preview tips off on Sunday in Milwaukee. The Bucks (42-17, 25-5 home), owners of the East’s second best record, host a Suns (33-28, 12-18 away) team that is expected to be a championship contender once Kevin Durant becomes available. The problem is, KD is still not ready to play.
Phoenix is hopeful he can make his debut on March 1st, but until then online sportsbooks don’t view them as a serious threat to Milwaukee. The Bucks opened up as sizeable favorites in Sunday’s NBA odds, despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status being in serious jeopardy.
Suns vs Bucks Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Suns | +5 (-110) | +170 | OFF |
| Milwaukee Bucks | -5 (-110) | -200 | OFF |
Milwaukee is currently a 5-point favorite, in a contest without a total as of Saturday evening. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 pm ET at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI, with ABC providing the broadcast coverage.
Odds as of February 25 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Suns vs Bucks Betting Analysis
The Bucks and Suns enter play sitting in second and third respectively in the NBA Championship odds. Milwaukee is fresh off a total destruction of Miami, blowing out the Heat 128-99 on Friday.
Fresh off a rapid recovery of a wrist injury, Antetokounmpo exited the matchup with Miami early in the first quarter with a right knee issue. He wound up playing only six minutes before leaving, and now it looks like he’ll miss Sunday’s game as well.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (quad) now listed doubtful for Sunday.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) February 25, 2023
Early on Saturday Giannis was listed questionable with a quad injury, but later in the afternoon he was downgraded to doubtful. The Bucks had no trouble taking care of the Heat without their two-time MVP, but their recent track record in games he sits has not been glowing.
Milwaukee is just 2-4 in the last six games he’s missed. They suffered three double-digit losses without him, and have been held to 102 points or less in each of the four defeats.
The Bucks have been an underwhelming offense all season, ranking 22nd in offensive rating, and it gets predictably much worse when you remove Antetokounmpo’s 31 points, 12 rebounds and 5.5 assists from the equation.
Offense certainly won’t come easy against a Phoenix team that ranks eighth in defensive rating. The Suns have won 12 of their past 16, yielding only 109 points per 100 possessions during that stretch. That’s better than all but two other teams during those 16 games, one of whom is Milwaukee.
Thoughts on the Phoenix Suns potential starting 5 after the all-star break?
Who’s beating this team 4 times? pic.twitter.com/A4vIqKR5U7
— suns.halftime (@sunshalftime) February 21, 2023
The Bucks have overtaken Cleveland as the NBA’s top rated defense, meaning a low scoring game is likely on deck without KD and likely Giannis as well.
Phoenix is fresh off a 124-115 victory over Oklahoma City, in a game where Devin Booker poured in a team-high 25 points. Booker has missed nearly half of the Suns games so far this season, which explains their underwhelming record.
He looks to be back to his old self after battling hamstring and groin injuries, and will play a key role in helping Phoenix keep pace with the Bucks on Sunday.
Suns vs Bucks Predictions
Here’s a list of the teams Milwaukee has beaten in games Giannis has sat this season. OKC, Charlotte, Utah, Indiana and Toronto. There isn’t a top-eight team in there from either conference. Needless to say, laying five points with the Bucks on Sunday is off the table.
That’s especially true given that the Suns Big 3 of Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton are healthy. The trio led Phoenix to the best record in the NBA last season, and have been instrumental during the team’s current 12-4 run.
Bucks Last Six Games Without Antetokounmpo
| Date | Away Team | Home Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 21, 2023 | Bucks | Cavaliers | CLE, 114-102 |
| Jan. 17, 2023 | Raptors | Bucks | MIL, 130-122 |
| Jan. 16, 2023 | Pacers | Bucks | MIL, 132-119 |
| Jan. 14, 2023 | Bucks | Heat | MIA, 111-95 |
| Jan. 12, 2023 | Bucks | Heat | MIA, 108-102 |
| Jan. 1, 2023 | Wizards | Bucks | WAS, 118-95 |
The Suns are 10-6 against the spread during that stretch, winning three times outright as an underdog. Milwaukee has been on a nice little ATS runs of their own, covering in six of seven, but Antetokounmpo played the majority of each of those games with the exception of Friday night.
The Bucks have failed to cover in four of the last six games he’s sat, with an average point differential of minus-six. All of those games were against non legit contenders, and given the form Phoenix is showing at the moment, backing the Suns is the clear choice.
Pick: Phoenix Suns +5 (-110)
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
