Milwaukee Bucks vs Houston Rockets Picks and Odds Dec 22
Milwaukee Bucks vs Houston Rockets Betting Preview
WagerTalk NBA handicapper Andy Lang offers his Milwaukee Bucks vs Houston Rockets betting preview for Wednesday, December 22. At the time of posting, Milwaukee is holding steady as a 9-point home favorite over the visiting Rockets, with the total at 224 points.
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| Wed, Dec 22 | NBA Betting Notes |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Milwaukee Bucks -9 vs Houston Rockets |
| Total: | 224 Points |
| Game Time: | 8:10pm ET / 5:10pm PT |
| Arena: | Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee |
| TV: | Bally Sports Wisconsin |
Milwaukee Bucks vs Houston Rockets Analysis
The Houston Rockets take a trip to Milwaukee for a Wednesday night showdown with the Bucks at the Fiserv Forum. The 10-21 Houston Rockets have split their last 10 games and are tied for last place in the Western Conference with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Meanwhile the slumping Milwaukee Bucks have lost two straight games and will have to again rely on their backups to play the role of starters. The Bucks won the first head-to-head matchup between these teams in Houston by a final score of 123-114. However, Milwaukee was at full strength, so it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
The Milwaukee Bucks will again be without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, as they remain on the Covid protocol list. Khris Middleton is working his way back from a knee injury, but could return for this contest. Donte DiVincenzo is also out with an ankle injury.
At this point the Milwaukee Bucks are running on fumes. That’s been illustrated in their past two games, as they lost in overtime to the New Orleans Pelicans followed by getting crushed against the Cleveland Cavs. These are teams that a full strength Bucks team would handle without breaking a sweat. Milwaukees interior defense is heavily compromised without Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis. DeMarcus Cousins playing 27 minutes a game definitely wasn’t part of the plan. There is really no need to go over season stats, as this just isn’t the same Milwaukee Bucks team.
The Houston Rockets lost a shootout against in the Bulls in Chicago by a final score of 133-118. Christian Wood led the way with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Defense has been this teams Achilles heel, as they are the 25th ranked scoring defense. It doesn’t help that they give up a league worst 17.5 turnovers a game. Houston plays at breakneck speed, as they play at the 4th fastest pace in the league.
This version of the Milwaukee Bucks being favored by nine points in this game tells you just how much of a struggle this season has been for Houston. However, without a good portion of their starters I don’t feel comfortable laying that many points against anybody.
The total is set at 224 for this game and they combined for 237 points less than two weeks ago. The over is 6-1 in the last 7 games overall for the Rockets and 4-0 in the Bucks last 4 games against a team with a losing record.
Our official play will be over 224 points as the Rockets should continue to both score and allow tons of turnovers that translate into points for the opposition. The Bucks defense just isn’t the same without the majority of their bigs and Houston has deployed a smaller lineup recently.
Official Play: OVER 224 Points
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Milwaukee Bucks vs Houston Rockets Preview from GoldSheet
The NBA is a different place than it was less than two weeks ago when the Bucks trekked to Toyota Center, and a lineup featuring Giannis, Khris Middleton, and Bobby Portis (who combined for 83 points) paced a 123-114 win over the Rockets. Now, Giannis and Portis are unlikely to feature as they deal with health protocols (with the hope that perhaps both and Donte DiVincenzo can return in time for the Xmas game against the Celtics), and Middleton hasn’t played in more than a week due to knee problems. Minus Giannis, Portis, and Middleton, Milwaukee has lost back-to-back vs. the Pels and Cavs (blown out vs. the latter), so at the moment we’re hardly talking about the team that won the title in July.
Meanwhile, Houston has avoided similar health protocols, though Christian Wood’s knee problems have him ? for Wednesday, while Jalen Green (hamstring) and Kevin Porter, Jr. (thigh) are not likely to return until next week. Where does that leave us for tonight? Even with losses in three of four, and the defensive numbers eroding, there are some reasons to like the Rockets, whose offense continues to percolate, ranking third in the NBA over a 13-game stretch into this week, keying current 6-1 “over” surge.
Wednesday’s NBA Stat Sheet
Each day, WagerTalk handicapper Ralph Michaels puts together his NBA Stat Sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Click here to download Wednesday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Milwaukee Bucks vs Houston Rockets contest.
NBA Tip-Off Show
Join Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of guests for the NBA Tip-Off Show at 4:15pm ET / 1:15pm PT as we discuss tonight’s marquee games. Stay up-to-date on the latest NBA news, stats, analysis, and predictions with our panel of professional handicappers as they preview tonight’s NBA action, including this Milwaukee Bucks vs Houston Rockets clash, from a betting perspective.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NBA point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Wednesday’s NBA games, including this Milwaukee Bucks vs Houston Rockets showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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