Bucks-Hawks Game 6 best bets: Back Atlanta in a must-win spot
The Bucks' offense didn't skip a beat in Game 5 despite being down Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the series headed back to Atlanta, Milwaukee can either clinch its Finals berth on the road tonight or play a Game 7 back home next week.
Here's the skinny on the betting line, total, and player props for Saturday's Game 6.
Bucks @ Hawks (-2, 216)
The Bucks have been tough to figure out this series - and that's putting it lightly.
There was the Game 1 home loss as eight-point favorites followed up with a 34-point shellacking to even the series 1-1. Milwaukee then threw up a dud in its 22-point Game 4 loss to the Hawks without Trae Young, only to win 123-112 two nights ago while missing Antetokounmpo.
Game 5 could be another tricky handicap, considering the circumstances.
Antetokounmpo's doubtful to go, while Young's closer to a game-time decision. The uncertainly warrants an interesting spread and total, which have been on the move since open: Atlanta is up from a pick to 2-point chalk, while the total's climbed from 215 to 217.
The Hawks' offense has looked comfortable without Young. Lou Williams picked up the slack (21 points and eight assists) in Game 4, and the unit totaled 112 despite losing two nights ago.
This is a short number to back a red-hot team against the spread. Atlanta's covered 18 of the last 21 as home chalk and six of the last seven giving points this postseason.
The Bucks, meanwhile, are still just 62-75-1 ATS without Antetokounmpo since drafting him in 2013 and 2-9 ATS the last 11 as underdogs.
Pick: Hawks -2
Player props
Kevin Huerter over 4.5 assists
If Young's unable to go, one player who should see an uptick in assists is Huerter. The third-year guard's averaged 4.2 assists per game over his career without Young compared to just 3.3 when Young is in the lineup.
Although Huerter's a 3-point specialist, he's quietly recorded seven assists in three straight contests. The 22-year-old will have no problem shattering that number again in a do-or-die scenario.
Brook Lopez over 15.5 points
Lopez was our pick to click in Game 5, and all he did was finish with 33 points on 14-of-18 shooting from the field.
The veteran center likely won't turn in another 30-plus performance, but the volume should be there for him to surpass the total. Lopez is averaging close to 12 field-goal attempts per contest without Antetokounmpo in the fold this season, with north of 15 points per game.
Look for another solid outing against a Hawks defense that had no answer.
P.J. Tucker over 6.5 rebounds
Although Khris Middleton led the team with 13 rebounds in Game 5, Tucker exploded for 11 - his highest in a game since his first outing of the 2020-21 regular season.
That's likely Tucker's ceiling, but it's good enough to shred this number of 6.5. Tucker's gone over the number in four of five games in the series and is fresh off a contest in which he played roughly 38 minutes without the Greek Freak.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. Find him on Twitter @AjKolodziej.