- Betting odds:Â Bucks -10 | Over/Under 223 | Moneyline -580/+435 at BookMaker.eu
- Game time: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 7th, 2019 and televised on TNT.
The Indiana Pacers’ demise has been projected for several weeks now but the team continues to defy the odds. Indiana started much better than expected and has been solid even after the season-ending injury to star forward Victor Oladipo. The Pacers would love to shock the public again next time out but it won’t be easy as they face off against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Milwaukee has hit a recent hurdle but still boasts the best record in the NBA and is one of the most complete teams in the NBA. The Bucks are both at home and the superior team so they will be the clear favorite to capture this victory.
Pacers vs Bucks | NBA Betting Odds
The Pacers have a record of 42-23 on the season, which is good for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference as the regular season comes down the stretch. Indiana is only a half-game ahead of the 76ers in the standings so it has to continue to excel to avoid dropping in the standings. Indiana has gone 17-14 on the road this year.
The Bucks are 48-16 on the year. They have lost two straight for the first time all year and are hoping to break out of that mini funk. Milwaukee is still 7-3 in its past 10 games and is hoping to remain ahead of the Raptors for the top seed in the East the rest of the way. The Bucks are 25-5 at home this season and hope to improve on that mark.
Watch Pacers’ Wesley Matthews
The Pacers added the veteran shooting guard a few weeks back after he was waived by the Knicks. Matthews has been a nice addition, especially considering there was a void after the injury to Oladapo.
Matthews is averaging 13.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game in nine contests with the Pacers. He is shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three-point range. Matthews is a key cog despite just joining the team and if he catches fire from downtown, it will give the Pacers a chance to hang close.
Bucks’ Strong Offence
The Bucks average 117.3 points per game, which is the second-best mark in the NBA behind only the high-flying Golden State Warriors. Milwaukee has some really nice balance. While Giannis Antetokounmpo is leading the way, there are many players that are able to come up big in stretches.
The Pacers have the stingistes defense in the NBA, allowing only 103.7 points per game, so it is an interesting matchup of strengths. Milwaukee plays at a fast pace and should get its share of easy buckets, but if Indiana can limit fast breaks and play well in the half court, the Bucks could be hard-pressed to reach their season average. It will be interesting to see where the scoring total checks in for this one.
Pacers vs Bucks | NBA Betting Picks
Our pick: Pacers +10Â
The Bucks are the better team and should eventually pull away, but keep an eye on the spread. Indiana is an underrated team that has the ability to make it tough on Milwaukee offensively. The Pacers are the choice to cover this spread.
Check out the latest NBA betting odds for today.
