Bucks vs. Hawks Prediction
The Milwaukee Bucks are hosting the Atlanta Hawks for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals Wednesday night. The Hawks are coming off of a huge Game 7 win in Philadelphia Sunday night and will look to keep the momentum into this series. Look down below to find my Bucks vs. Hawks Prediction.
The Bucks are also entering this series fresh off of a Game 7 win against the star-studded Brooklyn Nets. They captured the win, even though Kevin Durant was one shoe-size away from sending them packing. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton have shown up in these playoffs and have played extremely well in the first two series of the postseason.
The Atlanta Hawks will have one less day of rest than the Bucks, as they were able to take care of business against the 76ers. Trae Young was tremendous all series, and Kevin Huerter was the guy to step up in Game 7. The Hawks have exceeded expectations and will look to pull off another upset against the 3-seeded Milwaukee.
It has been at least 50 years since the Bucks or Hawks have taken hold of the championship trophy. Both squads are motivated to head to the finals and continue the terrific runs they have put on. I expect this series to go to at least 6 games, with Giannis and Trae leading their teams every game.
The Milwaukee Bucks Sneak Past the Nets in a Fantastic Series
This Nets vs. Bucks series that was presented to NBA fans was an absolute gift. It went the full distance, and basically, every contest came down to the last few minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 40 points and 13 rebounds in the thriller Game 7. Khris Middleton also posted a terrific stat line of 23 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals.
Saturday night was a struggle for Jrue Holiday, as he shot just 5/23 from the field. He was able to hit a few shots in the 4th quarter, but he will want to redeem himself in the first game against the Hawks. Brook Lopez had a brain fart in this game as well, as he did not shoot the ball with the shot clock expiring towards the end of regulation.
In the end, Milwaukee escaped Kevin Durant’s sensational performances in games 6 and 7. They will have their hands full with Trae Young, but he is certainly a different scorer than Durant. Defensively, the Bucks match up very well with the Hawks. This series will be the final test for the Bucks and their quest to the NBA Finals.
The Atlanta Hawks Keep On Pulling Surprises
Trae Young and company come through once again. They were able to capture wins in two of the most hostile environments in the NBA, being led by a 22-year-old who, believe it or not, was not an all-star this year. The Hawks will stroll into Milwaukee with confidence and look to pull off another upset.
Kevin Huerter was the star in the final matchup against Philly, with 27 points. Trae Young struggled from the field but will look for a bounce-back game against the Bucks Wednesday night. The Hawks played terrific defense at the end of regulation, and that propelled them to victory.
Against the Bucks, Atlanta will need to key in Giannis and build a wall in the paint against him. They will also need to contest against the three, as Milwaukee is lethal from deep. With Bogdan Bogdoncic banged up, Kevin Huerter and Danilo Gallinari must continue to hit in this series from beyond the arc. This will be a great Game 1, as both teams are energized from great series wins.
Pick and Prediction
Both teams narrowly pulled out the upsets in their previous series and will be ready to fight all series long. The Bucks are -7 favorites at home, and I will take them covering. I think that the extra day of rest will benefit the Bucks, and they will put on a three-point shooting craze in Game 1.
Khris Middleton will lead all scorers with 34 points, and Antetokounmpo will add in 27. Trae Young will struggle with Jrue Holiday’s spectacular defense and be held to just 22 points. The Bucks will come out hot in this series and take this contest by 12 or more.
Pick: Bucks -7
