Hawks vs. Bucks prediction, odds, pick for 2024 NBA Cup Semifinals
Yesterday at 06:18 AM
The Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks will play in the first NBA Cup semifinal in Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon. The teams already played once during the regular season on December 4, with the Hawks entering Milwaukee and picking up a 119-104 victory on the road. Each team has won five games over their past ten matchups. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Hawks-Bucks prediction and pick.
The Hawks have been the story for most of the NBA Cup, as not many expected them to advance out of their group, much less make it to the semifinals. Atlanta drew a challenging group for the round-robin portion as they played the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. However, they secured wins over both teams, which set them up for Trae Young’s return to Madison Square Garden. Young didn’t disappoint, leading the Hawks to a 108-100 win and mocking the New York fans on their home court.
The Bucks have been dominating the NBA Cup, a massive reason for their in-season turnaround. It started with some decisive victories during Group Play, where they were 4-0 with three double-digit wins. In the quarterfinals, they faced a more challenging matchup against the Orlando Magic, but they defeated them 114-109 to advance.
Here are the Hawks-Bucks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hawks-Bucks Odds
Atlanta Hawks: +4 (-115)
Moneyline: +145
Milwaukee Bucks: -4 (-105)
Moneyline: -170
Over: 227.5 (-110)
Under: 227.5 (-110)
How To Watch Hawks vs. Bucks
Time: 4:30 PM ET/1:30 PM PT
TV: TNT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Hawks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Hawks have been on fire after a slow start to the season. They started the season 4-7 but then came to life after beating the Celtics in group play. They have been 10-5 since that victory, including two wins over the Cavaliers and a blowout over the Bucks. Atlanta contributes their turnaround to some elite defense, as they’ve gone from a bottom-ten group to one of the best over their past 15 games.
Another reason for a new look for the Hawks is the refined game of Young. He was formally a three-point, high-volume shooter who wouldn’t pass up many shots and caused his teammates strife for his game’s selfishness. However, Atlanta knew he had to change to improve the team and listened to the coaches’ direction. He now leads the league in assists per game with 12.2 and takes much fewer shots than in past seasons. Young’s passing game unlocked players like De’Andre Hunter, averaging a career-high 19.6 points per game and shooting 44.6% from three-point.
Why the Bucks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Hawks aren’t the only team that started the season slow and had a breakout. The Bucks were even worse to begin the year, owning a 2-8 record and surrounding themselves in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors. However, they have been 11-3 since the slow start and will undoubtedly silence all the haters with an NBA Cup title.
Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are finally finding the chemistry that justified acquiring the three-point sharpshooter for the Bucks. It took some time to get going this season, but their offense is now one of the most efficient in the league.
Final Hawks-Bucks Prediction & Pick
The Hawks have a team make-up that could challenge the Bucks in this game. Atlanta excels defensively and on the boards, which could challenge Milwaukee’s offense and give them a hard time in this game. We saw the Indiana Pacers make a heroic run to the NBA Cup finals last season, and we could see Young be this year’s Tyrese Haliburton and do it again in 2024.
Final Hawks-Bucks Prediction & Pick: Hawks ML (+145)
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