The Milwaukee Bucks head south to face off against the Atlanta Hawks in a pivotal Game 6 matchup. A victory for the Bucks means they advance to the NBA Finals. For Atlanta, they must win to stay alive. It's to continue our NBA odds series with a Bucks-Hawks prediction and pick.
The Bucks played great with Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the lineup. Brook Lopez put the team on his back on dropped 33 points, giving Milwaukee the boost they needed in the paint to gain a 3-2 series lead. They're hoping to close out the series on Saturday night.
The Hawks struggled in Game 5 as they were down on the scoreboard throughout most of the matchup. They clearly missed having Trae Young in the lineup. He's questionable at the moment, but his return is vital for this team if they want to advance to the NBA Finals.
Here's how the sportsbooks have set the Bucks-Hawks odds for Game 6.
Eastern Conference Finals Game 6: Bucks-Hawks Odds
Milwaukee Bucks +2.5 (+125)
Atlanta Hawks -2.5 (-145)
Over 216.5 (-110)
Under 216.5 (-110)
Why the Bucks could cover the spread
Milwaukee stepped up in Game 5 and the Bucks look to carry that momentum into Game 6. Lopez was a man on a mission and dominated the paint. Clint Capela is known as a premier defender in the paint and he simply got outplayed. So much so that even Bobby Portis lit up the scoreboard with 22 points himself. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday played as well, giving the Bucks solid scoring from the perimeter. The Bucks are tough to beat when they play like that, and they could repeat that performance on Saturday night.
With or without Trae Young, the Hawks might simply be outmatched against the Bucks. Look for Milwaukee to utilize strong perimeter defense to slow down the Hawks attack, then look for an easy bucket in the paint on the other end. The Bucks are the slight underdog, but if they follow a similar game plan to Game 5, we could see them win the Eastern Conference Finals.
Why the Hawks could cover the spread
Atlanta is in a do-or-die situation. Teams that play desperate tend to either choke or pull through with miraculous play. With or without Trae Young, the Hawks still have the tools to defeat the Bucks. We witnessed that in Game 4, so winning this game is not impossible. The one guy that must step up though is Clint Capela, as they need him to play lockdown defense in the paint and win the battle of the boards.
That will give the Hawks a fighting chance in Game 6. Atlanta was outplayed in the paint in the last game as mentioned earlier in this Bucks-Hawks prediction piece, so making that adjustment should bring a different result. If the Hawks can put Milwaukee into foul trouble, then that could be a way for this team to close the gap. Atlanta's offense is one of the best in the league, so they have to step up defensively if they hope to cover the spread and tie up the series.
Final Bucks-Hawks prediction & pick
This one could come down to the wire, as everything is on the line in this one. The Hawks have the slight edge as they've played great whenever they're in Atlanta this postseason. If Trae Young returns, their chances of winning should increase, as he is their superstar player. At the end of the day though, the best team is going to come away with a win. Although they're on the road and are missing their superstar themselves, the Milwaukee Bucks seem destined to play in the NBA Finals this year.
FINAL PICK: Milwaukee Bucks, win 113-109
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