Bucks vs Hornets

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return to the lineup immediately lifted Milwaukee with 29 points in a road win over Chicago, ending a rough December stretch and pushing the Bucks to 13-19, while Charlotte rides a two-game surge behind LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges to get to 11-20. With Giannis back near full usage alongside high-minute creators Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee’s top-end talent simply outguns a Hornets group that’s missing key rotation pieces in Kon Knueppel, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Mason Plumlee and could also be down Sion James on the perimeter, leaving their depth badly thinned for a third meeting. Earlier this season Charlotte handled a Giannis-less Bucks squad 111-100 at home, but once Antetokounmpo returned, Milwaukee took the OT Cup game 147-134 behind his 25 points and 18 assists, underscoring the gap between these rosters when he’s active. Given the Bucks’ superior star power and Charlotte’s frontcourt injuries, laying the moneyline at -165 is my preferred side, though Milwaukee’s shaky overall form and mediocre road record cap this at a solid but not elite B-grade confidence. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 29/12/2025 09:37([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/mil/milwaukee-bucks))

LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges have driven Charlotte to a lively 115.6 points per game while Milwaukee sits at 112.7, putting the raw season average right on the 228 total, but the current injury context and personnel changes lean me slightly to the under. The Hornets are without Kon Knueppel, who has been a 19-plus point scorer on elite efficiency and high-volume threes, along with rim-running bigs Kalkbrenner and Plumlee, which should sap some spacing, transition punch and second-chance scoring even as Ball continues to push pace. On the other side, Doc Rivers’ Bucks have often been more methodical when Giannis is initiating from the elbows, and with Milwaukee’s supporting shooters banged up (Taurean Prince out long term, Gary Trent Jr. at less than 100%), there’s a decent chance this game tilts toward halfcourt possessions rather than the wild, shot-making environment that produced 281 points (in OT) in their last matchup after a more modest 211 in the first meeting. Factoring in Charlotte’s thinner rotation and the likelihood that both coaches lean on their primary creators for longer, controlled minutes, I like Under 228 at -110 with a B- grade, acknowledging the risk that Hornets’ defensive issues and hot perimeter shooting could still blow this total past the number. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 29/12/2025 09:37([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/mil/milwaukee-bucks))

Miles Bridges has punished Milwaukee’s defense in both prior meetings this season, but without Knueppel’s shooting gravity on the wing and with Kalkbrenner and Plumlee sidelined, Charlotte’s front line is now heavily overmatched by a Bucks interior built around Giannis, Bobby Portis and Myles Turner. The Hornets have found a bit of momentum with two straight wins, yet they’ve leaned on heavy minutes from Ball, Bridges and Moussa Diabate, and their already-shaky defense is more vulnerable with so much size and rim protection on the injury report. Milwaukee, meanwhile, just showed in Chicago what its ceiling looks like when Giannis is active and Rollins and Porter Jr. are hitting, and the earlier OT win over Charlotte with Giannis on the floor highlighted how quickly the Bucks can create separation when they string together stops. Given the matchup edges in the paint and the Hornets’ depleted depth, I’m willing to lay the short road number and take Bucks -3 at -110 for a B- grade, accepting that Milwaukee’s inconsistent play and subpar road record leave real volatility in this outcome. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 29/12/2025 09:37([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/mil/milwaukee-bucks))