Brooklyn Nets (54-25) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (50-28)
June 10, 2021 7:30 pm EDT
The Line: Milwaukee Bucks -3.5; Over/Under: 234
(Get latest betting odds)
The Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks meet Thursday in Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs Semifinals at the Fiserv Forum. The Nets can all but end this series with a win and take a 3-0 series lead. The Bucks need a win here to cut the series deficit to 1-2.
The Brooklyn Nets are averaging 122.4 points on 49.6 percent shooting and allowing 107.7 points on 43.8 percent shooting. Kevin Durant is averaging 32 points and 3.4 assists while Kyrie Irving is averaging 24.4 points and six rebounds. James Harden is the third double-digit scorer and Joe Harris is dishing two assists. The Brooklyn Nets are shooting 43.2 percent from beyond the arc and 90.8 percent from the free throw line. The Brooklyn Nets are allowing 32.5 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 42.4 rebounds per game.
The Milwaukee Bucks are averaging 111.2 points on 46 percent shooting and allowing 105.3 points on 43 percent shooting. Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 24.3 points and 13.7 rebounds while Khris Middleton is averaging 19.3 points and 3.7 assists. Brook Lopez is the third double-digit scorer and Jrue Holiday is grabbing 6.7 rebounds. The Milwaukee Bucks are shooting 30.6 percent from beyond the arc and 70.1 percent from the free throw line. The Milwaukee Bucks are allowing 37.5 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 56.3 rebounds per game.
The Nets are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 Thursday games and 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games overall. The Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff games as a favorite and 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games overall. The under is 5-1 in Nets last 6 Thursday games. The under is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 Conference Semifinals games. The Nets are 13-29-1 ATS in the last 43 meetings.
Game three is the most important for teams down 0-2, as it’s a must-win to get back in the series. However, even without Harden, we’ve seen nothing from the Bucks to back them with confidence or lay chalk. The Nets have had a field day offensively through two games and the Bucks aren’t making outside shots. Things should improve at home, but is that enough to close what have been comfortable wins for Brooklyn? I’m not sure.
Give me the Nets and free buckets.
