Milwaukee Bucks (23-30) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (15-41)
February 20, 2026 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: New Orleans Pelicans -3.5; Over/Under: 222.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Milwaukee Bucks invade the Smoothie King Center to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. Here’s a Pelicans vs Bucks Prediction. This article will include a Pelicans vs Bucks Pick.
Milwaukee Bucks Betting Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks were starting to heat up just before the All-Star break as they have won five of their last six games overall and they will be gunning for a third straight victory after blowing past the Thunder in a 110-93 road win last Thursday. Ousmane Dieng led the team with 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocks, AJ Green added 17 points, Kyle Kuzma tallied 14 points while Kevin Porter Jr chipped in with 12 points and seven assists. As a team, the Bucks shot 46 percent from the field and 17 of 42 from the 3-point line as they took the fight to the Thunder and set the tone with 67 points in the first half to take a double-digit lead. Things tightened up late in the contest, but the Bucks played excellent defense to limit the Thunder to just 38 points in the second half to secure one of their best wins of the season.
New Orleans Pelicans Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have been in decent form as they’ve split their last 10 games overall, but they will be hoping to bounce back in this one after having their two-game win streak snapped by the Heat in a 123-111 loss last Wednesday. Zion Williamson led the team with 25 points on 12 of 19 shooting, Trey Murphy III added 19 points with six assists, Saddiq Bey scored 14 points while Jeremiah Fears tallied 13 points with 10 rebounds and eight assists off the bench. As a team, the Pelicans shot 46 percent from the field and 11 of 31 from the 3-point line as they matched the Heat in a tightly contested first half, but all their hard work went to waste in the third quarter where they leaked 38 points to fall behind by double digits. The Pelicans did a great job of holding the Heat to just 41 percent shooting from the field, but they allowed the Heat to grab a total of 18 offensive rebounds which was too much to overcome.
Why the New Orleans Pelicans will win
- The Bucks have lost each of their last 11 games as road underdogs when playing with a rest disadvantage.
- The Pelicans have won eight of their last nine home games against Central Division opponents that held a losing record.
- The home team has covered the spread in each of the last six games between the Bucks and Pelicans.
- The Bucks have failed to cover the spread in 11 of their last 12 games as underdogs against Southwest Division opponents.
Why the Milwaukee Bucks will win
- The Pelicans have lost each of their last six games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Bucks have won five of their last six games as underdogs.
- The Pelicans have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Bucks have covered the spread in five of their last six games.
Total Points Facts
- Eight of the Pelicans’ last nine games as favorites against the Bucks have gone OVER the total points line.
- Each of the Bucks’ last four road games against Western Conference opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
New Orleans Pelicans Player Facts
- Zion Williamson ranks 1st amongst qualified players for points in the paint per game (15.7) this season.
- Herb Jones is one of only two players in the league to have recorded 8+ steals in a game this season.
Milwaukee Bucks Player Facts
- Bobby Portis is the only qualified player in the league to be leading their team in rebounds per game (6.6) and three-point shooting percentage (45.1%) this season.
- AJ Green ranks 5th in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for 3P% (43.1%) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Pelicans have recorded the largest comeback win from a HT deficit this season – trailed by 22 points vs Rockets on December 18.
- The Pelicans rank 1st for points in the paint (3142) this season.
- The Bucks rank 30th in the league for offensive rebounds per game this season (8.7).
- The Bucks rank 30th in the league for free throw percentage this season (73.7%).
Pelicans vs Bucks Prediction
The Bucks are still missing a couple players in Myles Turner and Giannis Antetokounmpo, while the Pelicans have ruled out Dejounte Murray, Yves Missi and Trey Murphy III. These two squads met back on Feb 4 and it was the Bucks who won by 141-137 in an overtime thriller so we could be in for another close contest here. The Bucks have sprung to life with five wins from their past six games despite all the trade noise, while the Pelicans had reeled off two solid wins before they got beaten by the Heat in their last game before the break. You can make an argument for either side here as both teams are evenly matched, but I really like what I saw from the Bucks in their win over the Thunder and I think they can build on that with another gritty win in this one.
