Bucks vs Suns Game 5 Finals Odds, Lineups, Picks & Injury Report
- The Bucks and Suns meet in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday
- Milwaukee snatched two wins on home court to even up this series
- Get the odds, preview, injury report, and prediction for this contest below
The 2021 NBA Finals are heating up immensely with the series currently tied 2-2. We now look ahead to a pivotal Game 5 on Saturday night between Phoenix and Milwaukee in the desert.
Game 4 was all Devin Booker for the Suns, but the lack of help around him resulted in another loss for the Western Conference champs. Khris Middleton meanwhile went absolutely off for the Bucks, erupting for 40 points to lead his team to victory.
Bucks vs Suns Game 5 Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Bucks | +3.5 (-105) | +140 | Ov 218 (-112) |
| Phoenix Suns | -3.5 (-115) | -166 | Un 218 (-108) |
Odds as of July 16th at FanDuel.
The spread has moved slightly since the opening odds were released, with the Suns initially being 4-point favorites after Game 4.
Injury Report
Thankfully, there haven’t been any serious injuries in the NBA Finals. For the Bucks, Donte DiVincenzo remains out with a foot injury that he suffered in the first round against the Miami Heat. The Suns are missing just Dario Saric, who unfortunately tore his ACL in Game 1 of this series. He’s expected to undergo surgery in the offseason.
Bucks vs Suns Projected Lineups
| Jrue Holiday | PG | Chris Paul |
| Khris Middleton | SG | Devin Booker |
| PJ Tucker | SF | Mikal Bridges |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | PF | Jae Crowder |
| Brook Lopez | C | Deandre Ayton |
Can Bucks Carry Momentum on The Road?
Prior to the finals, the Suns hadn’t lost back-to-back games in the playoffs. But, the Bucks were in familiar territory in a 0-2 hole after clawing back from that same deficit against the Brooklyn Nets. Needless to say, they’ve fought their way right back into this series.
Milwaukee really thrived on home court and made life very difficult on Phoenix in Game 4. They forced 17 turnovers which turned into 24 points, while also collecting 17 offensive rebounds to just five for the Suns. Middleton was the leading catalyst on the offensive end and was absolutely clutch down the stretch as he hit numerous big shots in the fourth quarter.
From a shooting standpoint, it wasn’t a great night for the Bucks as they drained just 24% of their threes. But, with Antetokoumpo’s 24 points and Middleton’s 40-piece, it was enough for them to even up the series. The Greek Freak also came up with one of the biggest blocks you’ll ever see in NBA finals history as he denied Deandre Ayton at the rim for what would’ve been the game-tying bucket late in the final period.
CLUTCH BLOCK BY GIANNIS 😱 pic.twitter.com/jwB0b75o65
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 15, 2021
Milwaukee will need to carry their momentum into Game 5 on the road, where Phoenix has lost twice all postseason. It won’t be easy, but they must keep playing tough defense and forcing the Suns to take tough shots.
Booker Needs Support
Game 4 was really not a true representation of what Monty Williams’ team has been all about. Booker went off for 42 and absolutely torched the Bucks, but the supporting cast was downright atrocious. In fact, Book had more points than the rest of the Phoenix starters, who combined for just 38.
Khris Middleton (40 PTS) and Devin Booker (42 PTS) become the 4th pair of opponents to each score 40+ points in an NBA Finals game.
The other 3:
John Havlicek, Jerry West in 1969
Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley in 1993
Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal in 2001 pic.twitter.com/nmdZpiLnYS— NBA History (@NBAHistory) July 15, 2021
Chris Paul really had an off night, dropping a mere 10 points while committing five turnovers. CP3 was really struggling to get it going offensively and if the Suns are going to have any chance at winning, he needs to set the tone and get everyone involved.
One of the biggest strengths of Phoenix has been its ability to make it rain from long range. A 30% clip on Wednesday was certainly a disappointment considering that three-point shooting is a huge part of how they win basketball games.
The likes of Mikal Bridges, Cam Payne, and Cam Johnson will have to feed on the home energy in Game 5 and start to find their shooting touch again. This all comes back to Paul as well, who is usually terrific at getting these guys open looks with his facilitating abilities.
Prediction
The Suns have lost just twice in the playoffs when playing in front of their fans. After a game where Phoenix committed far too many sloppy turnovers and couldn’t shoot the ball, I expect them to really bounce back here and take a 3-2 lead in the finals against the Bucks. This team always performs better on home court and Saturday will be no exception. Take the Suns to cover the spread.
Pick: Phoenix Suns -3.5 (-115)
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Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
