Hawks vs Bucks Game 4 Prediction
The Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks are gearing up for game four tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. . The Bucks currently lead the series 2-1 after taking the last two games. For the Hawks, the situation seems bleak for game four with a lack of momentum and Trae Young battling an injury.
Hawks vs Bucks | A Closer Look
On Sunday, the Hawks star suffered a right foot injury after throwing a pass and attempting to run back on defense. Caught up in the action of the game, Young stepped on a referee’s foot and sprained his ankle. Young was allowed to return to the game, but reported after that his ankle was “sore”.
“It’s sore right now, It’s hurting. It’s frustrating,” said Young. “Yeah, it’s hurting a little bit, and it’s sore.”
Young seems optimistic that he will be able to return for tomorrow night’s game.
“. . .I’ve just got to get treatment and hopefully get it better for the next game,”
Young said.
If Young does not return tomorrow, the Hawks will be at a huge disadvantage going up against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Even if Young makes it back to the court for game four, he will likely not be able to perform his best.
Khris Middleton was on fire in game three for the Bucks 113-102 win, another threat the Hawks will have to contend with as the series continues. Middleton scored 38 points to give the Hawks the matchup lead, tying his playoff career-high.
The Hawks have only been able to clinch one game in this series, and it was only a 3-point difference between them and the Bucks. In that game, Young led the scoring with 48 points, which accounted for about 41% of the Hawks scoring. Young was the top point scorer in every game of the series so far and without him in perfect health, it will be difficult for the Hawks to take this game.
If the Hawks have a chance at winning this matchup, John Collins will need to step up in a major way. Collins scored the second highest with 23 points in the game one win. However, his scores boasted a major gap between Young’s 48. Collins dropped the ball in each of the following matchups, scoring just 11 points in game two and 13 in game 3. For perspective, Young scored 35 points on Sunday.
Shifting the spotlight over to the Bucks, besides Antetokoumpo, they boast a stellar offensive lineup. Jrue Holiday has totaled 61 points in this series and Middleton has proven he is more than capable of stepping up and taking control of a game. There is no denying they are a stacked team and it’s difficult for any team in the league to compete against them, even when fully healthy.
The Numbers
Looking into how each team has been performing statistically, in Sunday’s Bucks win they were slightly better in free throws with a 57.1 percentage to the Hawks’ 56.3. The Hawks led in the 3-point category, making 40.5% of their buckets while the Bucks only capitalized on 37.9%. In the same game, the Hawks were shooting 26.4% from the field, with the Bucks edging them out at 51.1%. On defense, the Hawks delivered 7 blocks to the Bucks’ 5.
If the Hawks are going to get the win, they need to stay consistent with 3-pointers and capitalize more on their free throws, which they only had a 56.3% success rate with. The Bucks can win if they stay consistent with the statistics from the game and increase their percentage at the 3-point line.
Hawks vs Bucks Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks
With back-to-back MVP Antetokounmpo on the Bucks side of the court and Middleton with a hot streak, it’s difficult to imagine any outcome different from a Bucks win in game four. The Hawks and an injured Young, if he makes an appearance, will have a hard time competing with the caliber of healthy players on the Bucks.
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