Milwaukee Bucks vs Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic Is a Prominent Player to Watch

• The Milwaukee Bucks are the top team in the Eastern Conference, but they're yet to secure the first overall seed.
• The Denver Nuggets are first in the Western Conference, but they've performed below expectations as of late.
• The Bucks won their last meeting with the Nuggets 99-107.

NBA Saturday features a potential finals matchup between the first-seed Milwaukee Bucks and the first-seed Denver Nuggets! Milwaukee is first in the Eastern Conference with a 52-20 overall record and a 22-13 road record. The Denver Nuggets are first in the Western Conference with a 49-24 overall record and a 30-6 home record, the best home mark in the NBA.

The Denver Nuggets will use their league-best home-court advantage, as this game will be hosted at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Saturday night will feature the second and final meeting between the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets this regular season. The Milwaukee Bucks won their last meeting over the Denver Nuggets, 99-107.

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Head-to-Head: Milwaukee Bucks vs Denver Nuggets

Injury Report

Denver Nuggets to Defeat the Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks ATS Record: 40-27-5

Denver Nuggets ATS Record: 39-33-1

The Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets will give fans a preview of a possible 2023 NBA Finals matchup when they face off on Saturday night! The Milwaukee Bucks are in fantastic form, winning seven of their last ten matchups and earning a 2.5-game lead over second place in the Eastern Conference. Despite being first in the West, the Denver Nuggets are just 5-5 over their last ten games.

The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the NBA's best defensive teams, allowing just 112.1 points per game (5th in the NBA) on 45.1% shooting from the field (2nd in the NBA) and 34.8% from three-point range (5th in the NBA). Despite injuries to some key contributors, the Bucks have averaged 124.0 points on a plus-5.6 points differential through their most recent five-game run.

The Denver Nuggets have produced one of the NBA's best offenses, averaging 116.7 points per game (7th in the NBA) on 50.9% shooting from the field (1st in the NBA) and 38.9% from three-point range. The Nuggets' defense has determined their success as of late, allowing 120.5 points per game on 51.0% from the field in losses versus 102.0 points per game on 47.6% from the field in their wins over their last five games.

Given the Denver Nuggets' fantastic home-court performances this season, we're taking them to earn a win on Saturday night. Expect the Nuggets' offense to overwhelm the Bucks, who aren't the most efficient scoring team in the first place. Milwaukee's defense was the difference-maker last time these two teams met, allowing the Nuggets to shoot just 39.2% from the field while forcing 19 turnovers. Still, Denver was severely undermanned, with neither Jokic nor Murray available.

Key Players & Stats

As the focal point of the Nuggets' offense, the Nuggets will be much more competitive than in their last game against Milwaukee. Nikola Jokic is a prominent player to watch. Not only is he in the conversation to win Most Valuable Player, but it'll be his first time facing the Bucks after missing their earlier match in January. On the season, Jokic is averaging 24.8 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 9.9 assists on 63.6% from the field and 40.0% from three-point range.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will go head-to-head with Nikola Jokic for paint dominance in this game. The former two-time Most Valuable Player collected 33 points and 14 rebounds in his last game against the Nuggets, but this time he'll face a Denver team at full strength. Antetokounmpo is averaging 31.2 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on the season. If the Greek Freak finds success in the paint early, the Milwaukee Bucks can steal another win from the Nuggets.

How to Watch Milwaukee Bucks vs Denver Nuggets

• Where: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
• When: 9:00 PM EST, Saturday, March 25, 2023
• How to Watch: NBA TV
• Streaming: NBA League Pass