- Atlanta defeated Milwaukee 110-88 in Game 4 to even the Eastern Conference Finals 2-2
- Giannis Antetokounmpo left the game after hyper-extending his left knee, while Trae Young didn’t play due to a foot injury
- Read below for updated Eastern Conference Finals series odds and analysis
The Eastern Conference Finals is now a best-of-three. Atlanta squared the series with a 110-88 victory on Tuesday, in a game that saw Hawks sharpshooter Trae Young sit out with a foot injury, and Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo leave early after hyper-extending his left knee.
Now, the two teams head back to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Thursday, with the status of the series’ two biggest names up in the air.
Hawks vs Bucks Series Odds
| Team | Odds at FanDuel |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks | +106 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | -124 |
Odds as of June 30th.
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Young is reportedly hopeful that additional rehab will have him ready for Thursday’s tip. Giannis meanwhile, will undergo an MRI on Wednesday.
Interestingly, the Bucks opened as 5.5-point favorites in Game 5, but that number is down to -2.5. That line suggests that not only Antetokounmpo won’t play, but neither will Trae.
Trae shows love to Giannis after he was ruled out of Game 4 with a left knee hyper-extension. pic.twitter.com/2yOEnWaLDg
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 30, 2021
Atlanta was as long as +800 to advance to the Finals prior to Game 4, but are now just a +106 underdog to win the East in the NBA Conference odds.
No Trae, No Problem
Even before Giannis went down, the Hawks were dominating Game 4. Atlanta jumped out to a 13-point halftime lead, and were up double-digits in the 3rd quarter at the time of Antetokounmpo’s injury.
start a petition that we pause the playoffs until trae and giannis and kawhi are okay
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) June 30, 2021
The Hawks outscored the Bucks 48-36 after Giannis’ departure. Along the way, they set series best marks for field goal percentage, assists, steals and points in the paint differential. All this, without their number one scoring option.
Milwaukee trailed by 10 when Giannis left the game. Here's a look at how the rest of the quarter played out after that point.
The 110-88 win for the Hawks matches the 2nd largest upset (+9) in a Conference Finals game over the last 30 seasons. pic.twitter.com/PvcyADMqu9
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 30, 2021
Lou Williams, staring in place of Young, and Bogdan Bogdanovic led the way offensively with 21 and 20 points a piece, while four other Hawks scored in double figures. A balanced offensive attack will be key should Young continue to sit, but another night of shooting over 50% from the field like they did in Game 4 is unlikely.
Lou Williams tonight:
21 Points
8 Assists
5 Rebounds
77% FGStepped up big with no Trae. 💯🔥 pic.twitter.com/h4tBnCyikC
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 30, 2021
The good news is that they have a reliable veteran like Williams to fill in. Sweet Lou has 87 career playoff games on his resume, and can offset some of the scoring and playmaking the Hawks lose without Young.
Can the Bucks Rebound?
Unfortunately for the Bucks, there is no replacement for Giannis. If he misses further action, it will require a major uptick in production from all of the Bucks’ rotational players. But, there is reason to believe they can still advance.
"They came in with desperation, the desperation that they didn't want to go down 3-1." pic.twitter.com/NQuqXQPglr
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) June 30, 2021
Two of the final three games will be on their home court. Milwaukee was 26-10 at Fiserv Forum this season, and is 6-1 in the playoffs. Khris Middleton, who will be expected to shoulder a big chunk of the offensive burden, shoots over 50% from the field at home, and 47% from beyond the arc. When Giannis went down last year in the playoffs versus Miami, Middleton put the team on his back with a 36-point effort willing them to their only victory in that series.
Jrue Holiday meanwhile, has more offensive upside than he’s shown in the past two games. Now is the time for him to earn that massive $134 million dollar extension he signed in April.
"Jrue Holiday, where in the hell are you?! You are supposed to be one of the best two-way players in the game today! Right now you're not guarding anybody."
—@KendrickPerkins 😳 pic.twitter.com/LhgxwMNbj7
— First Take (@FirstTake) June 29, 2021
Giannis’ potential absence also opens up more playing time for Bobby Portis, who played a major role in Milwaukee’s Game 3 win on Sunday. Portis was in contention for the league’s 6th Man of the Year award, and brings incredible energy and three-point shooting to the table.
The Bucks were 5-6 without Antetokounmpo in the regular season, and still averaged 116.4 points per game. They are a much stronger defensive team than they showed in Game 4, and we should expect coach Bud to devise a better strategy to limit the Hawks on Thursday.
Even if Young suits up and Giannis doesn’t, Milwaukee still has enough scoring and excellent defenders to warrant being the series favorites. Continue to back the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, but consider a fade in the Championship Round if Antetokounmpo is not healthy.
The post Hawks Now +106 in Eastern Conference Finals Series Odds vs Bucks After Game 4 Win appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.
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