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The Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks will play their second game of the NBA Cup on Friday night. The Pacers started their tournament with a loss, while the Bucks won their initial matchup. Indiana is trying to return to the final after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers last season, but it won’t be easy with three teams in their group already having one or more wins. The Pacers have been successful against the Bucks, including last year’s playoff series, in which they won in six. They also won three of four matchups during the regular season. It’s time to continue our NBA Cup odds series with a Pacers-Bucks prediction and pick.
The Miami Heat dominated the Pacers in their first cup game. Miami entered Indiana and won 124-111 without Jimmy Butler’s services. Bam Adebayo led the way with 30 points, while Tyler Herro added 20. During their cup run, Tyrese Haliburton was a star for the Pacers last season, but he had just 18 points and eight assists in the opener. Obi Toppin was the leading scorer for Indiana, recording 21 points and three rebounds in just 21 minutes.
The Bucks’ opener was less challenging. They hosted the Toronto Raptors and won 99-85. The Raptors have won just two of 12 games this season, and their lack of offensive firepower was made even more evident against Milwaukee. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 23 points and seven assists.
Here are the Pacers-Bucks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.Â
NBA Cup Odds: Pacers-Bucks Odds
Indiana Pacers: +5 (-110)
Moneyline: +170
Milwaukee Bucks: -5 (-110)
Moneyline: -205
Over: 236.5 (-110)
Under: 236.5 (-110)
How To Watch Pacers vs. Bucks
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: Fanduel Sports Network
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Pacers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The teams enter this game with matching 6-9 records, which is a massive fall from grace after their performances last season. It’s easy to see why the Pacers are struggling, as they don’t have the team makeup to succeed in the three-point-heavy NBA. The Pacers shot just 32.5 threes per game, which is well below the league average and will cause the Pacers to struggle to keep up in scoring. The Bucks present an excellent chance to start shooting more threes, as they allow the fifth-most per game with 39.5.
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The Pacers’ offense should perform better than they are if they shoot more threes. They rank fourth in the league in field goal efficiency at 48.9% and 12th in three-point efficiency at 37.2%. Their lack of threes is why the Pacers rank near the top in efficiency but just 13th in points per game.
Why the Bucks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Pacers’ defense isn’t helping them win games, as they rank sixth-last in the league with 118.4 points allowed per game. The Bucks are highly efficient like the Pacers, and they can score often with 111.3 points per game. Milwaukee has also been an excellent team at home this season, winning five of their eight games. Meanwhile, Indiana has won just two of nine on the road.
Final Pacers-Bucks Prediction & Pick
The Pacers could have trouble defending the Bucks, but one intriguing trend should help us lean toward Indiana in this matchup. The one area that the Pacers are adept at defending is from beyond the arc, as they rank 13th in three-point efficiency allowed. The Bucks rely heavily on the three-pointer, and they could have trouble running away with this game if Indiana’s defense shows up.
Final Pacers-Bucks Prediction & Pick: Pacers +5 (-110)
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