Bucks, Thunder in action on Thursday NBA betting slate

We usually preview the two TNT games on Thursday in the NBA because those are the marquee matchups of the night with the national TV audience. This week, there’s nowhere else to go because the only two games on the entire schedule are the doubleheader: Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks, followed by Oklahoma City Thunder at Portland Trail Blazers.

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The Bucks have the NBA’s best record and could win 60 games for the fifth time in franchise history and first since 1980-81. But, boy, do they seem to lose focus at times. How else can you explain Milwaukee getting swept this season by arguably the NBA’s worst team, the Phoenix Suns?

On November 23, the Bucks were 13.5-point home favorites and stunned 116-114 by the Suns on a last-second shot. That loss really isn’t explainable. However, the Bucks’ 114-105 loss at -13 in Phoenix on Monday perhaps is because it concluded a five-game road trip, the last four out west. Teams are always apt to be out of gas in the finale of a trip like that. Milwaukee became the last team in the NBA this season to lose consecutive games (also Saturday at Utah).