Bucks vs Hawks Odds and Picks

• Milwaukee takes on Atlanta in the second game of a back-to-back
• The Bucks beat Minnesota on Wednesday behind Khris Middleton’s 27 points
• Get the odds, preview, and best bet for this Eastern Conference showdown below

Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to be sidelined due to knee soreness, which has hurt the Milwaukee Bucks. They’re just 3-3 in his absence, but two-straight victories over the Magic and Timberwolves is a step in the right direction.

However, they’ll have a much tougher task at hand on Thursday when they visit the surging Atlanta Hawks, who sit just four games behind them in the East. Nate McMillan’s team is on a three-game winning streak after beating the Toronto Raptors for the third time this season on Tuesday evening in Tampa.

This is just the second meeting between the Bucks and Hawks this year, with the Greek Freak leading his squad to a 129-115 win back in January. In fact, Milwaukee has collected five consecutive victories against Atlanta dating back to the April of 2019.

Bucks vs Hawks Odds

Odds as of April 14th.

Bucks Looking to Build Off Big Win

Milwaukee isn’t the same beast without Antetokounmpo, but a convincing 130-105 victory over the T-Wolves on Wednesday is a good starting point ahead of a meeting with Atlanta.

Middleton led the Bucks with 27 points, while five others registered double-digit scoring nights. They shot 48% from beyond the arc in this contest, while leading by as many as 30 at one point. Minnesota was missing their best player in Karl-Anthony Towns, however, which made things a little bit easier for Milwaukee in the paint.

After a stretch of three straight losses to the Warriors, Mavs, and Hornets, Mike Budenholzer’s team has now got into a groove. But don’t be fooled, they just blew out two of the worst teams in the league.

Orlando is nothing to write home about, while Minny is one of the worst defensive squads around. However, a win is a win and even though the Bucks just beat lowly teams, it’s still going to give them a sense of confidence.

Khris in 25 minutes:

27 PTS | 8 REB | 7 AST | 9/15 FG pic.twitter.com/xGJver1kMi

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 14, 2021

There’s no timetable on Antetokounmpo’s return, but nevertheless, it will be a tough contest against the Hawks, who are currently rolling. The Bucks own a 4-4 record in back-to-backs and have gone 16-12 on the road this season.

No One Can Stop Atlanta Right Now

ATL is one of the hottest teams in the association since the All-Star break, losing just five times. They’ve won seven of their last eight games and completed the season sweep of the Raptors on Tuesday.

What’s even more impressive is that these last two victories have come without Trae Young. Atlanta’s floor general could very well miss this Bucks contest as well due to a calf contusion.

Bogdan Bogdanovic led the way vs Toronto, collecting a team-high 23 points, while big man Clint Capela dropped 19 and grabbed a ridiculous 21 boards. The former Rocket put in work on the glass, compiling more than half of the Hawks’ rebounds.

The depth in McMillan’s team was a clear bright spot in Tuesday’s win. Four of their starters put up at least 17 points, which really made up for the absence of Young. Bogdanovic has been in his bag as the primary ball-handler since Trae went on the shelf. The 6-foot-6 Serbian is averaging 28 per night across the last two contests, which has played a massive part in their success.

.@LeaderOfHorde continues to stay hot. He finished with 23 PTS and went 5/8 from deep in last night's W. 🔥

🎥 Presented by @KumhoTireUSA pic.twitter.com/IPy7rAyCbW

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) April 14, 2021

Atlanta holds a 14-10 record at the State Farm Arena this year and currently sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. But just two games separate the 8th-place Knicks and the Hawks, which makes every single contest extremely important as the playoff race heats up.

Best Bet

Milwaukee enters Thursday’s game as 6-point favorites, which stands to reason: even with no Giannis, they theoretically should have enough to pull out a victory here.

After outscoring their last two opponents by 62 points, I believe the Bucks will roll into Atlanta and end their hot streak. The Hawks just beat two average defenses and without Young again, they won’t be able to get past a Milwaukee team who is top 10 in the association on both sides of the ball. Take the visitors to capture another win.

Pick: Bucks ML (-260)

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