Bucks vs. Thunder Wednesday NBA injury report, odds: Spread plummets with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday out
The three best players on the Milwaukee Bucks are two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (the current betting favorite to win it a third time), All-Star Khris Middleton and excellent two-way point guard Jrue Holiday. None of them will play tonight in Oklahoma City, which has dropped the opening spread from Milwaukee -7 to -2 at Caesars Sportsbook. This writer is somewhat surprised the Bucks are even favored.
Middleton hasn't played yet this season as he's recovering from wrist surgery and is probably at least a week away. Antetokounmpo is apparently dealing with a left knee injury and Holiday a right ankle sprain, but let's be honest here: The Bucks are punting this game. Antetokounmpo is second in the NBA in scoring (31.8 points per game) and tied for third in rebounding (12.2 rebounds per game).
Milwaukee was just dealt its first loss of the season on Monday in Atlanta when both Antetokounmpo and Holiday played. The Bucks' 9-1 start is still tied for the best in franchise history. The team hasn't started 10-1 since the 1979-80 season. With the likes of Pat Connaughton and Joe Ingles also hurt, the starting lineup tonight apparently will be George Hill, Jevon Carter, Grayson Allen, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez.
The lone injury question for Oklahoma City is big man Aleksej Pokusevski, who has missed the past two with a shoulder injury. He's averaging 7.5 points and 5.0 rebounds.
Perhaps consider a third-quarter wager on the Thunder? Oklahoma City has the second-best third-quarter point differential in the NBA (+3.7) behind only the Chicago Bulls (+3.9). Shea Gilgeous-Alexander is currently sixth in points per game this season (30.8). Dating back to last season, he has recorded 16 30-point performances over his last 23 games played. He's set at over/under 27.5 points tonight.
The Bucks beat the visiting Thunder 108-94 on Saturday, and Giannis missed that one. Lopez led with 25 points and Holiday had 10 points and 13 assists. Gilgeous-Alexander connected on 7 of 16 shots and led Oklahoma City with 18 points.
The Bucks have given up fewer than 100 points in a league-high four games this season and are 77-2 in the Mike Budenholzer era (regular season and playoffs) when they allow less than 100 points.
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