Bucks at Hawks Wednesday Night will feature Giannis vs. Trae, Round 4 - Preview, Pick and Props

The dysfunctional Hawks lead this season series 2-1 and won their last two games against the Bucks convincingly back in November. The Hawks have won two of their last three games with promising road wins at Sacramento and the Clippers and will return home from a four-game West Coast road trip tonight. The Bucks have won three of their last four games but also suffered an ugly blowout loss to Charlotte on Friday. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo is coming off a couple of weird games. He scored a season-low nine points in the blowout loss and then scored just 22 points on 6-of-15 shooting in Sunday’s win over the Knicks. That was still good enough to help his team get the W but it would appear that his scoring is tracking in the wrong direction. Milwaukee saw all five starters score in double figures in that game, while Bobby Portis and Joe Ingles also hit double figures off the bench. With such diversified scoring for a team still missing Khris Middleton (knee), it makes sense that Giannis isn’t carrying as much of the load as usual. Giannis also scored just 25 and 27 points in the Hawks’ two wins against him this season. Serge Ibaka (personal) and Middleton are the only two players on the injury report for the Bucks and they’re both out tonight. Middleton has played in just seven games this season. 

Brook Lopez is averaging 12.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.4 3-pointers this month, but Jrue Holiday has been struggling, averaging just 12.8 points and 1.6 assists in his five January games. He’ll have his hands full on the other end of the court tonight with Trae Young.

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The Hawks have a lot going on. Several players reportedly don’t like playing with Trae and Trae doesn’t love most of his teammates or his coach. Coach Nate McMillan has thought about stepping down. And there are rumblings coming from Atlanta that the Hawks could even be looking to deal Young. Of course, how much of any of that is fact or fiction remains to be seen but where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. In any case, maybe the Hawks are using the chatter for motivation after those two solid road wins and they have to be thrilled at getting back home tonight. Their last two wins against Milwaukee came in decisive fashion and it would appear that De’Andre Hunter and Onyeka Okongwu like the challenge that Giannis offers. 

Clint Capela (calf) remains out for the Hawks tonight and will miss his eighth straight game, clearing the way for Okongwu to play big minutes. He had just five points, nine rebounds and three blocks against the Clippers on Sunday and is averaging 9.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.0 blocks in his four January games. Young is finally heating up, scoring at least 30 points in two straight games and he’s topped 20 points in 10 straight. And after shooting just 42 percent in December, Trae is shooting 48 percent from the floor in January. Hunter is also playing well, averaging 18.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.8 3-pointers this month. 

The Oddscrowd algorithm gives the Hawks a 2.3 percent + EV Edge on the Moneyline at +118 tonight and it looks like the Hawks may be heating up at the right time to take a 3-1 lead in the series. We like the Hawks and the points tonight in Atlanta. 

Pick: Hawks +2.5

Prop 1: Giannis Antetokounmpo under 32.5 points -106 at FanDuel 

Prop 2: Trae Young over 26.5 points -111 at FanDuel

Prop 3: De’Andre Hunter over 15.5 points -113 at FanDuel