The NBA’s new In-Season Tournament begins on Friday, November 3. The group stage gets underway as the New York Knicks face off against the Milwaukee Bucks. Tipoff from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN.
The injury report is light for this matchup. Knicks’ starting small forward R.J. Barrett is questionable with a sore left knee. Milwaukee comes into this game healthy and looking for a statement win in this new tournament.
The Bucks are 5.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook. Milwaukee has -238 moneyline odds, while New York is the +195 underdog. The point total is set at 224.5.
Knicks vs. Bucks, 7:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Bucks -5.5
The new-look Bucks have played four games this season and have gone 2-2. They come into this game off a 19-point loss to the Toronto Raptors on the road. The Knicks are 2-3 on the season and split two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers this week, winning on the road in Cleveland but losing Wednesday at home by six points. Milwaukee is still trying to find its flow with new pieces but I think the Bucks have the talent to cover in this game, especially if Barrett is playing at less than 100%.
Over/Under: Over 224.5
New York has been held to fewer than 90 points in two of its last three games. The over is the pick because the Bucks have scored at least 110 points per game and have allowed no fewer than 114 to their opponents. We are only four games in but Milwaukee’s offense, averaging 120 points in wins, should be plenty to help the over hit.
