Pick against the spread, best player prop for Bucks vs. Pelicans on Friday

In one of the 10 games on Friday night’s NBA schedule, the Milwaukee Bucks will be traveling down to the Big Easy to take on the New Orleans Pelicans at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Bucks (11-6) are currently on a two-game winning streak after defeating the Toronto Raptors 115-108 on Wednesday night. Milwaukee has also won three of their last five games. Against the Raptors on Wednesday, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was tied with Khris Middleton for a team-high 24 points, to go along with 18 rebounds and nine rebounds.

Meanwhile, Middleton also had 24 points (8-17 FG, 5-8 3pt), 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. As a team, the Bucks had three starters score 20-plus points, the other player was Brook Lopez. They also dominated the rebounding battle against the Raptors with a 67-51 result.

As for the Pelicans (8-8), they snapped their three-game losing streak on Wednesday night, defeating the Washington Wizards 124-106. The Pels were able to withstand Bradley Beal’s 47 point performance, thanks to both Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson scoring 32 points each.

A majority of Ingram’s points came from behind the arc as he was 7-of-12 to go with an efficient 12-of-19 from the field. The Pels made sure to take advantage of the undermanned Wizards as they shot 51.7 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three-point range.

What can we expect from these two teams on Friday night? And can the Bucks extend their winning streak to three games? To answer those questions and more, here is our pick against the spread and a player prop you need to consider betting on.

Bucks vs. Pelicans, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Pick ATS: Bucks -7

The line for Friday night’s primetime contest is current set at seven points, with the Bucks favored on the road. This season, the Bucks have been one of the best offensive teams in the league, averaging 119.8 points per game. In their last games, Milwaukee is still scoring 116.7 points game. Then you look at the Pelicans, who are only giving up 111.1 points per game on defense, but have struggled in their last three games (118.3 points).

The last time the Pelicans played a team with the similar profile as the Bucks, they lost by double digits to the Utah Jazz. This season, the Bucks have a record of 3-5 against the spread on the road, while the Pels’ ATS record at home is 2-4. The best bet for this game is Bucks to cover the seven.

Player Prop: Khris Middleton O 5.5 assists (+100)

We usually associate Middleton with shooting three-pointers and his overall offensive scoring prowess. However, for this player prop, we are going to go with over 5.5 assists, which is something you need to jump on asap. The veteran is averaging 6.5 assists per game and has gone over 5.5 assists in 10 out of the Bucks’ 17 games this season. In the Bucks’ last five games, Middleton is averaging 6.2 assists per game and seven assists in their last three games.

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