Bucks vs. Wizards Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for January 3 (Bucks Cruise With Giannis Back)

Bucks vs. Wizards Game Info

• Date: Tuesday, January 3, 2023
• Time: 8:00 PM ET
• Venue: Fiserv Forum -- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Coverage: NBA TV, NBCS-DC, and BSWI

The 2022-23 NBA season continues on Tuesday with three more games, including a battle between the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks. The Wizards rank 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 17-21 record, while the Bucks check in third with an 23-13 record. Fans are in for a good one here.

These teams last met in Milwaukee on Sunday in what ended as a 118-95 victory for the Wizards. Kyle Kuzma stole the show with his second career triple double (10 points, 13 rebounds & 11 assists). Meanwhile, fourth-year pro Rui Hachimura chipped in with a team-high 26 points off the bench.

Bucks vs. Wizards Odds & Spread

Bucks vs Wizards Betting Information

Favorite	Spread	Favorite Spread Odds	Underdog Spread Odds	Total	Over Total Odds	Under Total Odds	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline
Bucks	-8	-	-	226	-108	-112	-330	265

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: MIL: (-320) | WAS: (+260)
• Spread: MIL: -8 (-110) | WAS: +8 (-110)
• Total: 228.5 -- Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

The Bucks enter this contest as clear home favorites on moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 8 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 228.5 points, which ranks as the lowest of Tuesday's projected totals.

Bucks vs. Wizards Betting Trends

• The Bucks have put together a 17-16-1 record against the spread this season.
• The Wizards have been underdogs by 8 points or more four times this season and have covered the spread twice.
• Games involving the Bucks have hit the over 18 times out of 35 chances this season.
• Wizards games this year have hit the over on 14 of 35 set point totals (40%).
• Milwaukee has done a better job covering the spread when playing at home (13-6-0) than it has in road games (4-10-1).
• In 2022-23 against the spread, Washington has a lower winning percentage at home (.400, 6-8-1 record) than on the road (.500, 10-10-0).

Bucks vs. Wizards Prediction & Pick

It's worth noting that the Bucks were without MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) as well as veteran point guard Jrue Holiday (illness) in Sunday's loss. Both players are listed as probable for Tuesday's contest, though, which gives Milwaukee a substantial boost on both ends of the court.

On the other side, Washington top scorer Bradley Beal (23.3 points per game) remains questionable to play with a hamstring injury. I expect Milwaukee to bounce back with a healthier lineup tonight. The Bucks are 15-4 at home this season and average a reliable 117.2 points per game at Fiserv Forum.

Milwaukee is also 10-2 straight up in its last 12 games against Washington, so I'll back the Bucks.

Final Score Prediction: Bucks: 115 | Wizards: 110

Bucks vs. Wizards Best Bet

The Bucks are going to come out firing as they aim to avoid a second straight home loss. However, this Washington defense is starting to improve. It has held its last three opponents to an average of only 99.0 points per game (No. 2 in NBA) and ranks first in defensive efficiency during that span.

That's why the under sticks out in this matchup. The total has hit the under in six of the Wizards' last nine games overall as well as in six of their last seven away games. The under has cashed in four of Milwaukee's last five games against Washington. Look for a slow-paced second half to go down.

Bet: Under 228.5 Points (-110)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.