Free NBA Picks Today: Brooklyn Nets vs Milwaukee Bucks 12/23/22

The Milwaukee Bucks (22-9, 8-6 Away) and their tremendous defense travel to face the Brooklyn Nets (20-12, 11-5 Home) and their sensational offense on Friday.

Milwaukee was defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the key player in defeat with 45 points and 14 rebounds.

The Bucks are 0.5 games ahead of the Boston Celtics atop the Eastern Conference, currently sitting in first.Brooklyn won their seventh in a row in impressive fashion on Wednesday at Barclays Center, beating the Golden State Warriors 143-113.

Kevin Durant had 23 points and seven rebounds, leading the team. The Nets are fourth in the Eastern Conference, 2.5 games behind the Bucks.

This marks the last meeting of the season between the teams. After winning the only prior season meeting against Brooklyn 110-99 at Fiserv Forum on October 26, Milwaukee will be pursuing a season sweep. Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 43 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks.

Durant had 33 points in the loss. Antetokounmpo is averaging 31.6 points per game, third-highest in the league, to lead the Bucks in scoring this season. Antetokounmpo also has grabbed 11.2 rebounds per game, fifth-most in the league.

Meanwhile, Jrue Holiday is dishing 7.6 assists. Durant (30.1 ppg) has supplied much of the Nets’ offense. He has the fifth-best scoring average in the NBA. Nicolas Claxton is posting 8.6 rebounds per game, and Ben Simmons is doling out 5.5 assists.

The Nets rank third in the NBA in offensive efficiency, while the Bucks are third in defensive efficiency. The Bucks have had the advantage in recent trips to Barclays Center, winning six of the last 10. Brooklyn is looking for a fourth consecutive win at home this season.

In the last 10 games, Milwaukee is 7-3 with an average margin of +2.8 (112.4-109.6). Brooklyn has gone 9-1 over the last 10, scoring 119.5 points per game on average while allowing 113.0 (+6.5 margin).

BUCKS HOT/COLD

(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Assists per game:
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 3.8 | 5.1 | -1.4

NETS HOT/COLD

(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Seth Curry: 7.5 | 12.6 | -5.1
Points per game:
Kyrie Irving: 31.3 | 25.0 | +6.3