Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction & Picks – 12/29/2025

The Milwaukee Bucks will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Monday in an Eastern Conference matchup in the NBA. Milwaukee has benefited from the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo in their lineup recently, while Charlotte has found some rhythm and confidence through recent wins of their own. Before tip-off from Spectrum Center in Charlotte, continue reading to get my Bucks vs Hornets prediction on Monday night.

Our Bucks vs Hornets Pick

Game Snapshot

• Matchup: Milwaukee Bucks @ Charlotte Hornets
• Date & Time: Monday, December 29, 2025, 7:00 PM ET
• Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Broadcast: NBA League Pass

Key Storylines

• Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from an injury absence with a strong 29-point performance in the Bucks’ win over Chicago, bringing elite scoring and rebounding back to Milwaukee’s lineup. He also nearly started a fight in that game by throwing down a dunk in the closing seconds of the game, but cooler heads did prevail.
• The Bucks have been inconsistent but are a better team with Antetokounmpo, Ryan Rollins, and supporting scorers contributing. They are favored in this game and will try to get a second win in a row as they try to climb the Eastern Conference standings.
• Charlotte is coming off consecutive wins, including a 120-105 victory over Orlando, showcasing their ability to score at a high pace behind LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges.
• Injuries are a major concern for Charlotte as Kon Knueppel is out due to an ankle injury, and other rotational players like Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Grant Williams are out. Those injuries will hurt Charlotte on both ends of the floor, especially with the promising rookie Knueppel out.

Head-to-Head & Betting Trends

• These teams are 1-1 against each other so far this season. The home team has won each of the first two games between these squads.
• Milwaukee is 15-17 against the spread so far this season.
• Charlotte is 17-14 against the spread going into Monday’s game.
• The Hornets have gone under the total in 20 of their 31 games.
• The Bucks have gone under the total 19 times in 32 outings.

Best Player Props to Watch

Bucks vs Hornets Model Projection

Final Thoughts

Jay Sanin

Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.