Atlanta Hawks v Milwaukee Bucks: Prediction, Tips and Odds

The T-Mobile Arena is the venue for Saturday's NBA Cup semi-final clash between the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The two teams are both inside the top eight in the Eastern Conference, with the seventh-placed Bucks holding a 13-11 record, compared to the Hawks’ 14-12.

Atlanta Hawks v Milwaukee Bucks betting picks and predictions

Milwaukee Bucks -4.0 – 20/21

After winning just two of their opening 10 games, it’s fair to say there were concerns amongst the Milwaukee Bucks faithful.

There were even rumours suggesting Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded, but the Greek Freak and his team-mates have quashed such talk and bounced back.

Milwaukee have now won 11 of their last 14 games, including a 114-109 quarter-final victory over Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Giannis waded in with another big points haul against the Magic, firing 37 while also claiming seven rebounds.

The two-time NBA MVP leads the league in points scored, with Giannis averaging 32.7 across his 22 games played.

The return of Khris Middleton has also been a significant boost for the Bucks, looking to make it three wins on the spin.

Doc Rivers’ men have had an extra day’s preparation for this semi-final, with the Hawks having played on Thursday. They faced the New York Knicks and claimed an eight-point victory at Madison Square Garden, with De’Andre Hunter leading the way with 24 points.

Not many expected Atlanta to progress in the NBA Cup, after they were put in a group with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Hawks though beat both the Celtics and the Cavs to win the group, although beating the Bucks as well looks a step to far.

It’s worth noting that the Hawks have had problems in limiting forwards around the paint, conceding big numbers to the likes of Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic in recent games.

That plays into the hands of Giannis and his influence is expected to play a key role in what looks like being a victory for the Bucks in Nevada.

Jalen Johnson 20 points – 23/20

Atlanta had a losing record of 36-46 last season and only just sneaked into the play-in positions, but there are high hopes of a big campaign in 2024/25.

Quin Snyder is starting to build a roster that can reach the play-offs, with one of the key figures being Jalen Johnson.

The Small forward is still only 22, but is in his fourth season in the NBA and is improving each year and has already made an impact this term.

Johnson is inside the top 40 for point-scoring in the league, averaging 19.8 per game – which is ahead of the likes of Pascal Siakam, Jimmy Buttler and Jalen Green.

The former Duke college star fired 21 points in the quarter-final win over the Knicks and scored 23 points in the Hawks 119-104 win over the Bucks earlier this month.

Playing the bigger teams often brings out the best in Johnson, who was born in Wisconsin and that is likely to add to his desire to beat Milwaukee on Saturday.

Alternative Game Total – Over 228.5 – 4/5

These two teams are eighth (Hawks) and 12th (Bucks) in the team points stats, averaging 116.7 and 113.4 respectively.

So an average night for both teams should see them break the 130-point barrier in Saturday’s NBA Cup semi-final.

It’s also worth noting that Atlanta are currently third in the league for points allowed, with an average of 119.1 per game.

Giannis is one of two Milwaukee players inside the top-10 point scorers in the league, with Damian Lillard averaging 25.8 per game.

With the likes of Johnson, De'Andre Hunter and Trae Young, the Hawks also have plenty of scoring options.

The last four games between the teams have averaged 237 points, with the only game coming under the target total being the 223 scored in this season’s clash.

Read more US sports betting tips and predictions on site.

Hawks v Bucks money line, spread, over/under

	Money Line	Spread	Over/Under
Hawks	29/20	+4.0 – 20/23	Under 229.0 – 10/11
Bucks	10/17	-4.0 – 20/21	Over 229.0 – 10/11

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.