Machibet Live Bucks vs. Thunder Prediction, Picks & Odds: NBA Cup Final

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo controls the ball against Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic during the second quarter as we look at our Bucks vs. Thunder prediction. — Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo controls the ball against Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic during the second quarter. Photo by Kyle Terada/Imagn Images.

The second act of the NBA’s in-season tournament was even better.

This year, the NBA Cup championship will feature a matchup between two heavyweights when the Oklahoma City Thunder (20-5) face the Milwaukee Bucks (14-11) at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The Thunder enter as the NBA Cup odds favorite, and they also sit second in the NBA championship odds.

This could be an NBA Finals preview. The clash pits two of the top NBA MVP odds contenders against each other. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokunmpo have been emerging as the leading challengers to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.

The showdown this season should be much better than last year’s championship matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers. We're diving in with our Bucks vs. Thunder prediction ahead of the NBA Cup Final.

Bucks vs. Thunder prediction: NBA Cup Final

Pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale; odds via our best NBA betting sites and subject to change.

Who will win: Bucks () ⭐⭐⭐
My best pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 29.5 points () ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bucks vs. Thunder: Who will win?

Bucks ⭐⭐⭐

Darvin Ham, the assistant coach for the Bucks (and the head coach of the Lakers last year), doesn’t lose in-season tournament games. So, how could you not take the +172 price tag on the Bucks’ moneyline?

I’m very interested in how the Thunder defend the Bucks in this contest. Oklahoma City has boasted the top-ranked defense this year, but the team lacks the frontcourt size to contain Antetokunmpo.

Milwaukee has been playing much better following its 2-8 start to the season. The Bucks have gone 12-3 since then, including 10 wins over their past 12 outings.

I’m willing to take a plus-money price ahead of a single-elimination tilt that could be more of a tossup.

Best odds: +172 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 36.76%

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My best pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 29.5 points

Getting a points prop below 30 for Antetokounmpo is an early Christmas gift.

The Milwaukee star leads the league while averaging 32.7 points per game. He's scored 30-plus points in five straight outings and nine of his previous 10.

Bucks vs. Thunder prediction — Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts during the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks. Photo by Kyle Terada/Imagn Images.

Oklahoma City’s top-ranked defense deserves plenty of respect. But the Thunder don’t boast the personnel to truly slow down Antetokounmpo without Chet Holmgren.

I’m pouncing on Antetokounmpo’s points prop as long as it’s trading below 30.

Best odds: -110 via bet365 | Implied probability: 52.38%

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Bucks vs. Thunder live odds & info

When: Tuesday, Dec. 17
Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
How to watch: ABC
Favorite: Thunder -4.5 ()

Bucks vs. Thunder injuries

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Written By:
Shane Jackson

Shane Jackson has been writing for Sportsbook Review since 2022, though his passion for sports, writing, and betting runs much longer than that. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a journalism degree in 2017 and has been covering sports ever since, working for MLB.com, Manhattan Mercury, Lawrence Journal-World, WynnBET, Bet Chicago Sports, BetNOLA, and BetMGM. Jackson cares about creating quality sports betting content above all else. He uses a mixture of models, information, film, analysis, and a top-down approach to locate every best bet shared for SBR. He never gives out a pick that he wouldn’t be willing to spend his own money on. Jackson is focused on finding +EV bets on a daily basis for a variety of sports such as NCAAF, NCAAB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, and MLB. He usually bets on props but is willing to wager on a spread or total when there is an edge. Don’t ask him how many bets he has placed on a typical college football Saturday. Jackson doesn’t care if you follow him on social media, but his Twitter account has info on how you can follow his bets through multiple third-party platforms. He just wants you to read all the great work from the SBR team.