Championship fights between larger than life figures is nothing new for Las Vegas. Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, and Mike Tyson all became superstars in the undisputed Fight Capital of the World. It is also the headquarters of the UFC, and the best fights and fighters of MMA.
Tuesday, it will feature the best in basketball, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks compete in the NBA Cup championship game. We also get to see a pair of MVP candidates go head-to-head, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks.
Gilgeous-Alexander is currently second in MVP betting, paying +275. Giannis is tied for third at +750.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (-4.5)
Oklahoma City heads into Tuesday’s game at 20-5, which is the best record in the Western Conference. They have won five straight games. In the five-game winning streak, they have won every game by 10 points or more.
In the semifinals of the NBA Cup on Saturday, OKC cruised past the Houston Rockets, 111-96. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 32 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, and it was his fourth straight game over 30 points. In the Thunder’s quarterfinal win over the Dallas Mavericks he had 39 points and eight rebounds.
The Bucks are a less impressive 14-11, which is sixth-best in the Eastern Conference. But Milwaukee has won their last three games, and 10 of their last 12. A six-game losing streak early in the season is why Milwaukee’s overall record is lacking.
Not lacking are points for Giannis, a two-time NBA MVP. In the Bucks semifinal win on Saturday over the Atlanta Hawks, Giannis had 32 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists. On the season, he has three triple-doubles, and his season-high in points scored is 59.
Against the Spread
The Bucks have won three straight, but Saturday was the only time during that streak that they covered the spread. Favored by 3.5 points, Milwaukee won 110-102. The Bucks are 6-6 against the spread over their last 12 games.
Oklahoma City has covered the spread in each of the five wins during their current streak, and seven of their last nine games. Overall on the season, the Thunder is 16-9 against the spread, while the Bucks are 10-14-1.
The over/under on Tuesday is 215.0, and both teams have hit the under in 14 of their 25 games.
This is the first meeting this season between the Bucks and Thunder. Last season, they split the two games, with OKC covering in their win at home, and Milwaukee covering in their win at home.
Player Prop Bets
The over/under for points scored for Gilgeous-Alexander is 32.5, which is the highest total for the game. Giannis is at 29.5 points, fellow Buck Damian Lillard has a line of 23.5, and Jalen Williams, who scored 20 points for the Thunder on Saturday, has a line of 21.5.
In head-to-head props, Gilgeous-Alexander is -3.5 points better than Giannis. Lillard is a 1.5-point favorite over Williams.
Gilgeous-Alexander is -115 to be the game’s leading scorer, and you get +185 for Giannis. Giannis has the best odds to get a triple-double, which pays +900.
Lillard is the top 3-point shooter in the game, and he pays -110 if he makes at least four 3-pointers on Tuesday. If he hits six, the payout is +400. At seven, he pays +850. Against the Hawks on Saturday, Lillard made five 3-point shots. His season-high is the 10 made 3-points he had against the Cleveland Cavaliers in November.
In NBA Cup Tournament MVP betting, Gilgeous-Alexander pays -180, Giannis pays +235, and Lillard has odds of +850.
With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.
