Thursday NBA Preview: 2 Player Props and Best Bet for Nuggets vs Bucks

The Denver Nuggets are just two wins away from the 40-win mark and winning 10 of their last 11 games, are heading into Milwaukee with the momentum on their side.

The Bucks are getting consistent contributions from Giannis and Lillard over the last few weeks but are still trying to find that 3rd offensive option as Kyle Kuzma has started his Bucks campaign inconsistently.

On two days’ rest, take Denver and Russell Westbrook to beat the Bucks with pace and ball movement alongside a more consistent bench contribution. 

Denver Nuggets -3.5

The Nuggets came back with energy, ambition, and connectedness in their victory over the Pacers just two nights after that much-discussed loss against the Lakers where Jokic scored just 12 points, and the Nuggets scored just 100 points which led to one of their worst losses in recent memory.

After dishing out 39 total assists including 19 from Jokic, 6 from Murray, and 5 from Westbrook, Denver is back on track and after two nights of rest will play in Milwaukee, where they are 3-2 since 2020. The Bucks are coming off a tight 3-point loss to Houston on Tuesday where they scored just 97 points after not getting much from the supporting cast.

Denver’s interior defense should give Giannis some trouble and with Braun, Strawther, and Westbrook limiting Lillard’s ability to get hot from beyond the arc. I’m rolling with Jokic and Denver to pick up their second-consecutive win as they inch towards the 40-win mark. Denver is 10-1 over their L11 with four of those victories coming on the road.

Russell Westbrook (DEN): 15+ Points (+210)

Russell Westbrook is playing a key role for this Denver squad and might be the difference in whether Denver makes a trip back to the finals or not. Russ shoots it 37% from deep in wins compared to sub-30% in losses and tends to stay aggressive on the offensive end when Denver wins basketball games by putting the pressure of pace against their opponent.

Against a weaker Bucks perimeter defense that gives up 26 PPG (last in NBA) to the point guard position, Westbrook is in a fantastic spot to drop another 15-point game. With 2 nights of rest (6 games this season), he averages 17.5 PPG on 13 FGA.

Denver has the 5th-quickest pace of play this season compared to Milwaukee’s 9th. In a high scoring outing, take Westbrook to be the key difference maker. 

Nikola Jokic (DEN) OVER 1.5 3PM (-180)

Jokic’s 3-point ball is bound to come back and tonight feels like a great spot for him to bounce back. In three games against Milwaukee since 2023, Jokic has hit just 4 three-pointers, but has attempted 17.

Although it is a low percentage for the potential MVP, Nikola is due for a big night. He’s hit zero 3s in back-to-back games for the first time all season and against a big like Brook Lopez, I’d expect some more pick and pop 3s to be shot this game compared to the smaller matchups against the Lakers and Pacers over the last week.