NBA Playoffs Betting Analysis: Nuggets vs Warriors Game Preview

The Milwaukee Bucks will look to cement their spot in the second round when they take on the visiting Chicago Bulls for Game 5. The Golden State Warriors will also look to do the same in a very similar scenario at home to the Denver Nuggets. Let’s take a look at Wednesday’s NBA Playoffs Betting Analysis:

Chicago Bulls vs Milwaukee Bucks: Game 5 Analysis

The Milwaukee Bucks will look to finish the job at home as they welcome the Chicago Bulls back to Fiserv Forum for Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

The big news in this one surrounds the status of Chicago’s Zach LaVine, who has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocol.

He will be given the opportunity to return a negative test in time to take the floor but his availability is questionable, as is that of Alex Caruso, who is currently in concussion protocol.

The Bulls have hit a wall in this series and can’t seem to find any answers at either end of the floor. Potentially losing both  your best on-ball defender and primary playmaker for the same game might just be the final hammer blow .

Regardless of who suits up, things are grim for Chicago. The Bulls have no answer for Milwaukee’s ball movement on defense and they are being completely shut down by the Bucks’ improving defense as well.

This game opened at -10 in favor of Milwaukee, which was also the opening number in Game 1 and that was with a healthy Khris Middleton in the lineup.

The market has again shifted further to -12½ with both LaVine and Caruso listed as questionable on the official NBA report. That number will likely move either direction pending the final news on their availability.

Those who took the Bucks -2½ games at -120 for the series are in good stead with how Milwaukee is priced on the moneyline. It’s also a good example of how you can utilize NBA playoff betting strategies around series prices and handicaps.

Expect the Bucks to get the job done here no matter who takes the floor for the Bulls, but this number is high in an elimination game and not one in which to get involved.

Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors: Game 5 Analysis

The Denver Nuggets will look to stave off elimination once more when they head to San Francisco’s Chase Center to take on the Golden State Warriors in Game 5.

We finally got a productive offensive performance from the Nuggets outside of Nikola Jokic and that proved to be enough as they held on for a 126-121 win in Game 4.

Whether they can get that consistency and efficiency from their role players on the road is another question entirely and one I don’t feel particularly comfortable staking on happening.

The Warriors have opened as 8½-point favorites after closing as 6½-point favorites in Games 1 and 2 in this building.

Denver’s issues remain the same coming into this game. The Nuggets quite simply have no answers in slowing down Golden State’s offense.

The Nuggets have been susceptible to dealing with scoring guards all season and the Warriors have been able to roll out a trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Coach Steve Kerr’s luxury means he can not only run a three-guard lineup, but he can ensure that at least two scorers are on the floor together at all times to keep the spacing threat on the perimeter.

The most accessible entry point this series has been on totals, and this game has once again opened at 225½ points despite the avalanche of overs that have hit between these teams.

While the later games in a series tend to play at a slower pace with less scoring, it’s hard to see how that’s the case between these teams. Even with the high total, it is the best NBA betting odds playoff bet available on the short slate.

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