Giannis puts muscle into this midweek parlay

We might not be able to do any more standard parlays in baseball, but that doesn't mean we can't combine an NBA and NHL game. 

The Milwaukee Bucks have yet to lose, and even against a team with superstar talent like the Brooklyn Nets, we're still going to take the Bucks. And with the New York Islanders and New York Rangers squaring off Wednesday night, expect a close game. Not just because they're rivals, but because both have been really bad as of late. So, we're going to take the underdog Rangers +1.5 on the spread to complete our parlay. 

Ben Simmons still isn't comfortable in his role with the Nets. However, he keeps logging a ton of minutes. And rightfully so. He didn't play at all last season, and if Brooklyn is going to do anything in a potential playoff run, they need Simmons on top of his game. As for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, well we know they're both superstars, but their games haven't meshed together as most expected. And until they win consistently, you probably shouldn't bet on the Nets.

Meanwhile, the Bucks have one of the best players in the game in Giannis Antetokounmpo, and even without Khris Middleton, the Bucks look like they haven't lost a beat. It's pretty simple for the Bucks: if they shoot the three well, they usually win. If they don't, they usually lose. And Brooklyn is far from a good defensive team. The Bucks shot over 50% from deep on Saturday against Houston, and even if they don't shoot it quite as well, still expect Milwaukee to score with ease.

As for the final leg of our parlay, take the Rangers (+1.5) on the spread vs. the Islanders. Rivalry games across any sport are usually close, and that shouldn't change here. Yes, both teams have lost three straight, but that shouldn't deter you from betting on this game. Something has to give, just don't expect it to be by much. These teams are far from good, but neither wants to lose bragging rights. 

Plus, the Rangers have played much closer games as of late, and the Islanders have had only one game decided by a goal this season. Advantage Rangers, again. It's still way too early in the season to say these teams are going to be bad for the rest of the season, but in a game with so much pride on the line, a close game is almost a guarantee. 

The Bet: New York Rangers (+1.5) AND Milwaukee Bucks (ML) (+122 odds via DraftKings)

In the news ...

Chiefs' Frank Clark suspended two games by NFL — Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark was suspended for two games on Tuesday for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy and will begin to serve his suspension immediately. Back in September, Clark pleaded no contest in Los Angeles to two counts of misdemeanor possession of an assault weapon and was sentenced to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service. The Chiefs are 5-2 this season and are 7/2 to win the Super Bowl. 

Celtics Brown, Rams Donald leaving Donda Sports — Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown and Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald are both leaving Donda Sports, the agency founded by the artist formerly known as Kanye West, due to anti-Semitic comments he recently made. The announcement came hours after Adidas terminated its relationship with the rapper on Tuesday, who is now known as Ye. Brown is 140/1 to win NBA MVP while Donald is 16/1 to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Marlins name Schumaker as new manager — The Miami Marlins named Skip Schumaker as the team's new manager on Tuesday. Schumaker, a first-time manager, played 11 seasons in the majors and won two World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Schumaker replaces Don Mattingly, who had served as the Marlins manager for the past seven seasons.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Jared Shlensky