Bucks vs. Nets Tuesday NBA injury report, Game 5 odds, spread, pick: Kyrie Irving, James Harden out, Kevin Durant set at 35.5 points; Milwaukee new NBA title favorite

During the regular season, the Brooklyn Nets played just two games without Kyrie Irving and James Harden (post-Harden trade) but with Kevin Durant. The Nets were 2-0 in those games. That will be the scenario Tuesday night at the Barclays Center for Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks, who have evened the series at 2-2. The Bucks are 4.5-point favorites (up from -2.5) on the William Hill Sportsbook NBA odds and also have become -180 series favorites for the first time because of the injury to Irving. Durant is set at a huge Over/Under number of 35.5 points for Brooklyn as he will have to carry the load solo.

Kyrie gruesomely sprained his ankle in the second quarter of Game 4 on Sunday in Milwaukee, and that pretty much ended any shot the Nets had of winning with Harden still out dealing with his hamstring injury. The Nets aren't saying how long Irving might be sidelined, but just following the NBA as closely as I do it would be a shock if he's back before a potential Game 7 of this series – if there is one. Harden is certainly closer to playing. Maybe Game 6 on Thursday.

It's not clear whom Coach Steve Nash would start in Irving's place. Bruce Brown has been starting for Harden. It could be veteran journeyman Mike James for Irving. James was had five points and was minus-17 in the Game 4 loss.

Thus, Durant is probably going to have to be superhuman to win Tuesday. I'm half-surprised that 35.5-point number isn't even higher – although the Bucks can obviously key on him defensively and dare the other guys to beat them. Durant is fourth in these playoffs in averaging 31.3 ppg but it took him 25 shots to get 28 points in Game 4. KD was just 1-for-8 from deep.

PJ Tucker, a buddy of Durant's and also a former University of Texas player, has done a nice job defensively on him. The refs are letting Tucker get physical without calling fouls. Maybe that changes Tuesday back in Brooklyn's gym. That Durant scores at least 40 points and the Nets win is yes-only at +550. This writer likes Milwaukee on Tuesday.

The Nets are 5-0 at home in the 2021 playoffs and the franchise record for longest home win streak in the playoffs is six in a row. Including playoffs, the Nets are 23-3 at home vs. Eastern Conference foes this year.

Giannis Antetokounmpo still is struggling with his three-point shot (18.1 percent in the series) and from the free-throw line (30.8 percent) but he was much more aggressive getting to the rim in Game 4 with 34 points alongside 12 rebounds. He's given an Over/Under of 32.5 for Tuesday, which he has topped in this series in all but Game 2. 

Even though the Nets are no longer favored in this series, they had been +280 favorites to win the NBA title … until Tuesday morning. Now the Bucks are +325 title favorites at William Hill with Brooklyn +350. Milwaukee is +155 in the East and the Nets +160. See the SportsLine Projection Model forecast below. 

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it has returned almost $9,100 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up almost $700 on its top-rated picks this season and entered this week of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on a stunning 100-66 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen HUGE returns.