NBA Betting Odds and Predictions: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Oklahoma City Thunder at Milwaukee Bucks
Saturday, 3/30/13, 8:30 PM EST, TV: FSWI
Opening Point Spread: Oklahoma City -5.5
Current Betting Line: Oklahoma City -5.5
Opening Total: 210.5
Current Total: 206.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 30-7 after a loss since the start of the 2011-12 season

Oklahoma City had its three-game winning streak snapped Friday night, as it suffered a 101-93 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves as eight-point road favorites, while going UNDER the total for a fifth consecutive contest. “We’ll be fine,” commented Thunder forward Kevin Durant. “Just a little bump in the road.” He leads the league in averaging 28.3 points per game, but has managed to score just 23.3 in eight games versus the Bucks. Oklahoma City is 34-15 ATS off a upset loss as a favorite the last two-plus seasons, which can’t be ignored when looking over the pro basketball odds page.

The Thunder are 21-15 overall when playing away from Chesapeake Energy Arena, which includes a 12-11 mark versus Western Conference foes. Oklahoma City entered Friday’s action averaging 106.2 points per game, which paces all teams in the league, while ranking third in shooting 48.1 percent from the floor. Since the start of the 2011-12 campaign, the franchise is a ridiculous 30-7 in games played after a loss, which is the second-best mark of its kind behind the San Antonio Spurs in that category.

Milwaukee snapped a four-game losing streak in picking up a 113-103 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday night, while going OVER the posted total of 210.5. The Bucks were led by the play of center Larry Sanders, who finished with a career-high 21 points and 13 rebounds. “Larry was great,” commented Bucks coach Jim Boylan. The Bucks have one of the better backcourts in the league with Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, as the duo combines to average 37.3 points per game. Milwaukee is 2-9 ATS as a home underdog of 3.5 to 6 points the last two-plus seasons, with the OVER going 7-4 in that situation.

The Bucks sit 2.5 games back of the Boston Celtics for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race, as all starters scored 15-plus points for the first time during the 2012-13 NBA season against the Lakers. Milwaukee has a chance to get above .500 against Western Conference foes for the first time this season, as it started 6-11 before the trade deadline and has gone 7-2 since.