Knicks Vs Bucks: knicks vs bucks prediction, odds and picks for Feb. 27
The New York Knicks head to Milwaukee on Feb. 27, 2026 (ET) to face the Bucks at Fiserv Forum in a game that could reverberate in the Eastern Conference race. The matchup matters now because oddsmakers list the Knicks as an 8. 5-point favorite with an over/under of 218. 5, while the Bucks enter riding a strong recent stretch even as their star remains sidelined. The knicks vs bucks pairing brings a clash of New York’s road inconsistencies and Milwaukee’s late-season surge.
Knicks Vs Bucks odds and spread
Oddsmakers opened the Knicks as a solid 8. 5-point favorite and set the game total at 218. 5 points. One set of published picks split on approach: the against-the-spread selection favored the Bucks at +8. 5, while the total pick leaned to the Over (218. 5). A straight score projection offered Knicks 116, Bucks 112 as the likely outcome for the contest.
Knicks road form and Brunson
New York arrives with a mixed road résumé, logged at 14-14 straight up away from home and one of the poorest against-the-spread marks on the road at 10-18. The Knicks are also coming off a heavy loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier in the week, an angle that underlines questions about the team’s bounce-back capacity. Jalen Brunson looms large in this series matchup: in recent seasons he has hit at least 36 points in eight of his last 10 meetings with Milwaukee, including two high-scoring games this season where he posted 36 and 37 points and combined to shoot 26-for-46 from the field. That track record gives New York a player-profile edge even when the team’s overall road numbers are uneven.
Bucks without Giannis, recent surge
Milwaukee’s roster has been operating without its star forward because of a calf issue that keeps him out of the lineup. Despite that absence, the Bucks have won eight of their last 10 games and have reclaimed positioning near the play-in bubble. The club sits five games under. 500 with 25 games remaining in the season, placing them within a couple games of a play-in spot if recent form holds. Oddsmakers have rendered Milwaukee a home underdog in this matchup with the star sidelined, and the teams had split their earlier meetings in the season.
Analysis and forward look
Observable indicators point to a tight game despite the spread. New York’s favored line reflects the club’s superior record, but Milwaukee’s eight-in-10 run and the undermanned lineup trauma for the Knicks on the road complicate a straightforward lean. If Giannis remains out, the Bucks are likely to continue relying on secondary scorers who have helped fuel the recent streak; if those contributors cool off, the Knicks’ road struggles could still translate into a closer-than-expected contest. With 25 games left on Milwaukee’s schedule, continued winning would materially improve the club’s play-in prospects, while regression would push them back in the standings.
- Line: Knicks favored by 8. 5; total: 218. 5.
- Key context: Bucks have won 8 of 10; Giannis is out with a calf issue.
- Market lean split: an ATS pick favors the Bucks (+8. 5); the total pick favors the Over.
Expect the game’s tempo and scoring balance to hinge on how Milwaukee replaces its absent star and whether Brunson repeats his recent dominance against the Bucks. Injury status updates before tip and in-game adjustments will be the clearest indicators of which side holds the edge.
