NBA
Milwaukee Bucks vs New Orleans Pelicans Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction
Kick-Off Time: 8.00 pm, ET Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This cross-conference match between the Milwaukee Bucks and the New Orleans Pelicans goes down at Fiserv Forum on Thursday 10th April 2025. The NBA regular season is in its sunset phase and the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Bucks will lock horns against the Zion Williamson-led Pelicans in a superstar matchup that is sure to be the center of attraction for NBA betting audiences.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo//Getty Images
The Bucks are stuck in limbo as they are neither great nor bad. They have been decent throughout the season but after being expected to be among the top heavyweights in the conference, they have failed to deceive as they are lacking consistency. They have lost superstar point guard Damian Lillard, who has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and will be sidelined indefinitely. This does not bode well for the franchise who would wish to maximize on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s prime years and claim another NBA title. The Bucks are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 40-34 record.
On the other hand, the New Orleans Pelicans have been awful, to say the least. They are one of the worst teams in the NBA mostly due to bad luck with injuries. They have had to deal with the absence of their core players for long stretches during the season. Fortunately, Zion Williamson has been healthy for a while and he is playing amazing basketball despite the team not registering the wins. The Pelicans are 14th in the Western Conference standings with a record of 21-54. While the Pelicans struggle to turn things around, fans looking to stay engaged with the action can take advantage of a free signup bonus and get in on the excitement with exclusive offers.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
The following pre-game odds are accessible from the best online betting sites.
Milwaukee Bucks: 4/9 (1.44) – 69.4%
New Orleans Pelicans: 7/4 (2.75) – 36.4%
Head-to-Head Record
In the last five games, the Bucks have been utterly dominant claiming four wins and losing only one.
LAST FIVE MATCHES
| Season | Date | Result |
| 2023/2024 | March 28th 2024 | New Orleans Pelicans 107-100 Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2023/2024 | January 27th 2024 | Milwaukee Bucks 141-117 New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2022/2023 | January 29th 2023 | Milwaukee Bucks 135-110 New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2022/2023 | December 19th 2022 | New Orleans Pelicans 119-128 Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2021/2022 | January 1st 2022 | Milwaukee Bucks 136-113 New Orleans Pelicans |
Milwaukee Bucks: Current Form – LLLLW
- Overall Record: 40-34
- Home Record: 24-14
- Away Record: 16-20
The Milwaukee Bucks are having a decent season despite grappling with injury issues, suspensions, and chemistry issues, the latest being Damian Lillard's loss. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a monster as usual, besides being among the top three favorites to claim the NBA MVP award. However, his form has been significantly impactful given that his team is struggling to register consistent performances. This has translated to their slow decline in the standings.
That notwithstanding, the Bucks have assembled an athletic roster equipped with size and length that will come in handy once the postseason commences. Their new acquisitions, Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr., and Jericho Sims have slowly acclimatized to their new team. Their presence has revitalized the team by bringing much-needed youthfulness that is vital against the contenders within the conference.
Head coach Doc Rivers is using the remaining fixtures to build winning habits and fine-tune the glaring chemistry issues, in preparation for the post-season. The Bucks are a dangerous team and if they get their full roster back from injuries, they can cause major upsets in a seven-game series to any of the leading contenders in the NBA.
CJ McCollum and Giannis Antetokounmpo//Getty Images
Key Players to Watch
- Giannis Antetokounmpo: Giannis Antetokounmpo is among the best five players in the NBA. Giannis has been dominant and is a walking double-double. Antetokounmpo is one of the best defensive players in the league and is primed for a monstrous game considering he has to carry the team in the absence of Lillard.
- Brook Lopez: Brook Lopez is one of the best defensive centers in the league. Lopez’s inside-out game is often underrated much to the detriment of his opponents. Lopez leads the team with 1.8 blocks per game.
- Kyle Kuzma: Kyle Kuzma will be the second scoring option for the remainder of the regular season now that Lillard is out indefinitely. He will certainly up his production numbers with more touches of the ball going through him.
Milwaukee Bucks Team News
Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and will be sidelined indefinitely while AJ Green has been ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
Jericho Sims underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and is expected to be sidelined for approximately four weeks.
Bobby Portis Jr. is finally available after serving his 25-game suspension.
New Orleans Pelicans: Current Form - WLWLL
- Overall Record: 21-54
- Home Record: 14-24
- Away Record: 7-30
This has been a catastrophic NBA season for the Pelicans after being taunted as one of the most promising teams before the season began. Everything about the franchise is reeking of failure and underperformance and this upcoming offseason is guaranteed to bring much-needed change.
The Pelicans have been one of the unluckiest teams in the NBA as they have had to deal with serious long-term injuries to their core players thus affecting their momentum. Zion Williamson is one of them, and the once-in-a-generation talent has only played 214 games missing approximately 60% of his NBA games in the process. The talent is there but on the current trajectory, he will be out of the league unless he addresses this glaring issue.
Brandon Ingram has already been traded to the Toronto Raptors, while CJ McCollum and Dejounte.
Murray is the other part of the promising core to suffer significant injuries, leaving fans and pundits imagining what could have been.
The Pelicans are a lottery team and this season is a lost cause. They have the joint third-worst away record in the league and will need a miracle to claim a win in Milwaukee.
Key Players to Watch
- Zion Williamson: Zion Williamson is still one of the flashiest and most dominant players in the NBA. Despite missing a huge chunk of the season, Zion is averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. His duel with Giannis will have the entire NBA at a standstill provided he overcomes the back injury in time.
- Kelly Olynyk: With all the injuries affecting the team, veteran center Kelly Olynyk has seen his time on the court increase. He is a steady, cool, and calm presence and has the experience to contribute all-rounded.
- CJ McCollum: CJ McCollum is dealing with a sore foot but he is expected to be back in time for this contest. He is a reliable playmaker and a sniper from the mid-range and three-point line. His experience will be highly required if they are to overcome the Bucks.
New Orleans Pelicans Team News
Dejounte Murray is out for the season suffering a torn right Achilles tendon as is Trey Murphy III who sustained a season-ending torn labrum in his right shoulder.
Meanwhile, Herbert Jones underwent successful surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right
shoulder and will be sidelined, while Brandon Boston and Jordan Hawkins will be absent due to
respective ankle and back injuries.
Predicted Lineups
Milwaukee Bucks Lineup
- Point Guard: Ryan Rollins
- Shooting Guard: Taurean Prince
- Small Forward: Kyle Kuzma
- Power Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Center: Brook Lopez
New Orleans Pelicans Lineup
- Point Guard: Jose Alvarado
- Shooting Guard: CJ McCollum
- Small Forward: Zion Williamson
- Power Forward: Kelly Olynyk
- Center: Yves Missi
Value Bets
Giannis Antetokounmpo - To Score Over 25 Points: Giannis has been averaging 30 points per game this season, having scored more than 25 points in more than three-quarters of the games he has played this season. Also, Giannis will have more offensive burden since Damian Lillard will not play, hence he is expected to make more shot attempts. If Zion Williamson plays, he is anticipated to make an offensive scene but he might not be dominant enough to overcome Antentokoumpo's game.
Kyle Kuzma – To Score Over 15 Points: Kuzma has been averaging about 15 points this season and in this game, he is expected to surpass this mark due to his shooting efficiency. More so, he has maintained an upward trend in enhancing his offensive skills, hence meeting this threshold is viable.
Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks to Win
The Bucks have maintained a decent season performance and with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading them, they are guaranteed to win this game. Moreover, the Pelicans are in one of the worst seasons of the franchise’s history and this being an away game, they are susceptible to getting a blinding beating from their opponents.
Ian Mugo Wanyeki is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a sports enthusiast with vast knowledge of different sport disciplines. Ian is a graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Kenyatta University. He is a Kenyan journalist who’s worked as a sports analyst at Covenant Television Network, as a sports reporter at NTV and as a Sports Correspondent/contributor at Quartz Africa.