After falling to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Milwaukee Bucks are attempting to reach the NBA Finals once more. Prior to previous season, Milwaukee had won a championship, but their playoff run was cut short by the injury of star Khris Middleton. For the 2022–23 season, let’s take a look at the NBA odds and the Bucks’ over/under win total.
On Thursday, Milwaukee will travel to Philadelphia to face the 76ers in the first game in their quest to reach the Finals. Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, is the captain of the Bucks and a dominant force on both sides of the court. Khris Middleton won’t be playing in their opening game because he is recovering from a wrist injury, but the 76ers are expected to be a top team in the league.
Milwaukee is one of the favourites to win the NBA championship going into the season, but it won’t be simple because there are so many strong teams in the league. With that said, let’s take a look at the Bucks’ season’s over/under win total.
Here are the NBA victory total odds for 2022, courtesy of FanDuel.
Bucks Over/Under Win Total NBA Odds
Chicago Bulls:
Over: 52.5 (-118) (-118)
Under: 52.5 (-104)
Why The Bucks Will Win 53 Games
The Big Three of Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Jrue Holiday are the foundation of Milwaukee’s dominant roster. Bobby Portis, Grayson Allen, and other top role players have been used by the Bucks to surround these studs.
Giannis averaged 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game last season. He finished with 1.1 thefts and 1.4 blocks per game on defence. At this point in his career, Antetokounmpo is just going to become better. The Bucks have a chance to triumph every time they take the court with him as their captain.
Milwaukee has continuity, which is another advantage. The Bucks chose to reload their roster with mostly the same players as other clubs in the league made significant roster changes. They will benefit from early continuity and chemistry, which will put them ahead of teams who are still getting to know one another.
Why The Bucks Won’t Win 53 Games
Due to Middleton’s injury, the Bucks might not win 53 games. As he recovers from his wrist surgery, the star forward is anticipated to miss the first few weeks of the season. For the Bucks, Middleton’s absence could be problematic because it was occasionally difficult for them to create shots against the Celtics during the playoffs when he was absent.
After Antetokounmpo, Middleton is their backup scorer and had a fantastic season. Middleton had a game average of 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. He received his third All-Star nod by shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. The Bucks’ offence will face difficulties without him for the first few weeks of the season, which might result in a sluggish start.
Additionally, the Eastern Conference is stacked with strong teams, making it difficult to win 53 games. Milwaukee has a fantastic team and coaching staff, but winning more than 50 games in a season is challenging. The Bucks won 51 games last year and took third place in the league.
Final Bucks Win Total Prediction: Under: 52.5 (-104)
The Bucks have a very good team and are a legitimate East contender, but they won’t reach 53 victories. As Antetokounmpo strives to bring another title to Milwaukee, Bucks supporters should still be enthusiastic about the next campaign. For this team, the playoffs are what really count.
First published on ClutchPoints, the post NBA Odds: Milwaukee Bucks 2022–23 Season Win Total Prediction.