Bucks vs. Spurs NBA expert prediction and odds for Thursday, Jan. 4 (Bucks bounce back)
By Peter Dewey
The Milwaukee Bucks are on the road again on Thursday, this time for the second night of a back-to-back against the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and company are looking to avenge back-to-back losses to the Indiana Pacers, and what better spot to do that than as a nine-point road favorite against a five-win team?
The Bucks beat the Spurs earlier this season, but Wemby did not play in that game. Does that change things on Thursday?
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Let’s dive into the odds and my best bet for this game:
Bucks vs. Spurs odds, spread and total
Bucks vs. Spurs how to watch
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 4
- Game Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Venue: AT&T Center
- How to Watch (TV): TNT
- Spurs Record: 5-28
- Bucks Record: 24-10
Bucks vs. Spurs injury reports
Bucks injury report
- Not submitted yet
Spurs injury report
- Dominick Barlow – questionable
- Charles Bassey – out
- Malaki Branham – doubtful
- Sidy Cissoko – out
- Zach Collins – out
- David Duke Jr. – out
- Mamadi Diakite – questionable
Bucks vs. Spurs key players to watch
Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo: The two-time MVP is making a case to win the award once again, averaging 30.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game for Milwaukee. Giannis had a triple-double the last time these teams played, but he scored just 11 points in that game. I expect a bigger scoring performance from him tonight.
San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama: Despite nursing an ankle injury, Wembanyama has been great for the Spurs, averaging 18.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game since Dec. 1. The Spurs rookie will have a tough matchup with Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he has a unique ability to score the ball from all three levels at his size.
Bucks vs. Spurs prediction and pick
I love the Bucks in this matchup, as they’ve been great on the second night of back-to-backs this season, going 3-1 against the spread.
The Spurs, on the other hand, are struggling as home dogs, going just 5-10 against the spread.
While Wemby is expected to play in this game, his minutes have been down since he suffered an ankle injury on Dec. 23 in pregame warm ups.
I’m worried about the Spurs defense slowing down a Bucks team that is No. 3 in the league in offensive rating and No. 4 in pace.
San Antonio plays fast as well (No. 3 in pace), but the team ranks 29th in the league in offensive rating.
Milwaukee should take care of business tonight.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.