Bucks vs. Hawks Game 6 Preview, Picks, & Prediction
Hawks vs. Bucks Odds
| Bucks Odds | +2.5 |
| Hawks Odds | -2.5 |
| Moneyline | +110/-133 |
| Over/Under | 216.5 |
| Time | 8:35 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
| Odds accurate as of Saturday at BetMGM | |
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With their two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on the shelf Thursday with a hyper-extended knee, the rest of the Milwaukee Bucks’ rotation stepped up in a major way to win Game 5. Led by Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez, Milwaukee won 123-112 to take a 3-2 series lead over Atlanta. The Bucks will cement an NBA Finals date with Phoenix with a win Saturday, or head back home to Wisconsin for Game 7 with a loss.
According to oddsmakers, this show must go on for as long as it possibly can. Injuries be damned, both these teams have exhibited a lot of heart this postseason. And if Atlanta can get back young superstar Trae Young, after a multi-game absence with a bone bruise in his foot, it would be hard to envision the Hawks falling at home with Giannis still out.
Bucks Carry Momentum Into Game 6
But there’s a flipside to that coin: the Bucks demonstrated their dominant side in Game 5, with every supporting player rising above the shadows of their All-NBA teammate. Lopez had what many have regarded as his best game ever, erupting for a postseason career-high 33 points on 14-of-18 shooting. He added seven boards and four blocks, a plethora of dunks and alley-oops, and a fantastic all-around defensive performance.
Middleton and Holiday were great, too. Middleton, a two-time All-Star who has essentially been deemed the Robin to Antetokounmpo’s Batman, has proven his worth during this playoff run. He dropped 38 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists in Game 3, and then poured in 26-13-8 Thursday. He’s not just an All-Star—he’s a top 15 talent in the league.
While we are ranking, Holiday is among the five best point guards in the NBA. The brilliant midseason trade to acquire the veteran from New Orleans has paid off handsomely—he’s an effortlessly skilled perimeter defender and a phenomenal playmaker. Holiday had 25 points, 13 assists, and six boards by the final buzzer in Game 5.
Hell, even Bobby Portis has been a difference-maker for Mike Budenholzer’s Bucks. The veteran big man played with tremendous intensity Thursday, firing up the crowd after he yanked away loose balls or attacked the rim to draw a foul. Portis finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in an impressive 36 minutes.
Hawks Look to Rebound From Loss
We haven’t mentioned the Hawks yet, probably because Milwaukee saw four players reach 20 points and Atlanta only had one: Bogdan Bogdanovic. The wingman went into vintage Bogie mode in Game 5, putting up 28 points, five boards, and four dimes. No other Hawk exceeded 19 points, and no Atlanta player reached nine rebounds. At this point, we know one thing for sure: Atlanta clearly relies more on its superstar than Milwaukee.
The Bucks bested the Hawks in just about every category the other night. They shot nearly five percent better from the field (50.5% to 45.6%). They outrebounded Atlanta 47-40. They had four more assists and six fewer turnovers. They committed five fewer fouls. And thanks in large part to Lopez and Portis, Milwaukee outscored Atlanta in the paint 66-36. That’s a throwback, grade-A ass-whooping on the interior that would make Detroit’s Bad Boys proud.
If Lopez and Portis were Laimbeer and Salley Thursday, Holiday and Middleton were Isaiah Thomas and Adrian Dantley. Don’t worry, I won’t take it a step further and call P.J. Tucker Milwaukee’s Dennis Rodman. But I will stand by my analogy, if for no other reason than because everyone in this Bucks rotation knows their role—and knows how to play their role well on the biggest of stages.
As for Atlanta, the youth and athleticism at coach Nate McMillan’s disposal gets lost in the heat of battle when the Hawks start getting lost on defense, or they start struggling to find and create open shots. A 30-point Game 5 disparity in the paint is something very few teams can recover from, never mind a team with a median age in the low 20’s.
Bucks vs. Hawks Game 6 Picks
Lots of things need to change for Atlanta to extend this series to Game 7. Center Clint Capela must get more aggressive down low, and he needs to take more than three doggone shots. John Collins and Kevin Huerter, who combined to miss 18 of their 28 total attempts last time out, need to play with assertion and to trust their shot more. McMillan needs to unleash rookie Cam Reddish for more than 23 minutes. Like I said, lots of things need fixing STAT. Clear!
If McMillan can’t resuscitate Atlanta’s collective heart on both the offensive and defensive end of the floor Saturday, we might be calling the Hawks’ time of death at the sound of the final Game 6 buzzer.
I want to believe this awesome young Hawks team has one more battle left in it—and I’d be a lot more confident in that possibility if Young was already green-lighted. But I can’t help but think Milwaukee finishes off Atlanta now to allow itself a little rest before the championship round. The Bucks are +125 and getting +2.5 points Saturday—sign me up for those Christmas in July gifts, please.
- FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Bucks 113-109
- GAME 6 PICK: Bucks +2.5 at BetMGM
Image Credit: Imagn