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The 2021 NBA Finals continue with a pivotal clash on Thursday evening. After a Game 1 victory at home, the Phoenix Suns welcome the Milwaukee Bucks to town with an eye toward a dominant 2-0 series lead. The Bucks will aim to even the series, however, as they look to steal home-court advantage in Game 2. Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is off the injury report while Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) is out for Milwaukee. Dario Saric (knee) is out for Phoenix.
Tip-off is at 9 p.m. ET in Phoenix. William Hill Sportsbook lists Phoenix as the 5.5-point home favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 219.5 in the latest Bucks vs. Suns odds. Before making any Suns vs. Bucks picks or 2021 NBA Finals predictions, you need to see what SportsLine NBA expert Larry Hartstein has to say.
Hartstein, who is a regular on The Early Edge podcast, sees an X-factor and he has identified the right side to back in his analysis for the NBA Finals 2021. Hartstein is a blistering 59-33 on his last 92 ATS NBA picks involving the Suns, a stretch that has made $100 bettors more than $2300. Anybody following him has seen huge returns.
Now, Hartstein has set his sights on Bucks vs Suns picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Suns vs Bucks:
- Bucks vs. Suns spread: Suns -5.5
- Bucks vs. Suns over-under: 219.5 points
- Bucks vs. Suns money line: Suns -215, Bucks +185
- MIL: The Bucks are 6-4 against the spread in the last 10 games
- PHX: The Suns are 7-3 against the spread in the last 10 games
Featured Game | Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Why the Bucks can cover
Milwaukee is a dominant defensive unit and that doesn’t change based on what transpired in Game 1. The Bucks currently lead the 2021 NBA Playoffs in defensive efficiency, giving up only 105.6 points per 100 possessions to their opponents. Milwaukee is also No. 1 in free-throw rate allowed (0.200), and Mike Budenholzer’s team is elite on the defensive glass, securing 76.5 percent of available rebounds after forcing a miss. The Bucks are capable of creating havoc, including 7.6 steals per game in the playoffs, and they are No. 1 in the league in preventing points in the paint at only 39.1 per game during the postseason.
The return of Antetokounmpo should continue to help the Bucks on both ends of the floor, as he is averaging 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. Milwaukee had a strong shooting night in the opener, including 16 of 36 from 3-point range, and the Bucks are potent as an offensive rebounding team. The Bucks didn’t find success in generating free-throw attempts, but, dating back to the regular season, Milwaukee’s ability to prevent the opponent from getting to the line should balance the scales.
Why the Suns can cover
Phoenix was impressive in a relatively comfortable Game 1 win, and that shouldn’t have been particularly surprising when you consider its regular season dominance. The Suns were one of the league’s best teams over the 72-game marathon, and that success stemmed from two-way effectiveness. Phoenix was a top-seven team on both ends of the floor, out-scoring opponents by six points per 100 possessions, and the Suns are an elite shooting team.
The Suns landed in the top-two of the NBA in field-goal percentage (49.0 percent), 2-point percentage (56.3 percent) and free-throw percentage (83.4 percent). With their 25-of-26 effort in Game 1, Phoenix is now the best free-throw shooting team in NBA Playoff history, making an insane 87 percent of its attempts. Beyond the shooting, Phoenix was a top-four team in generating assists (26.9 per game) and avoiding turnovers (12.5 per game) during the regular season. Defensively, Monty Williams’ team is structurally sound, and the Suns were able to hold up against Milwaukee despite the Bucks having a hot shooting night. The Suns were a top-five team in 3-point defense (35.4 percent) during the regular season, and they limit assists (22.9 allowed per game) by being in the right place at the right time and executing consistently.
How to make Bucks vs. Suns picks
Hartstein is leaning over on the total. He’s also found multiple x-factors that have him jumping all over one side. Make sure to check out his expert NBA Finals picks and analysis before locking in any Bucks vs. Suns bets of your own.
So who wins Bucks vs. Suns? And which side of the spread is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Bucks vs. Suns spread you need to jump on Thursday, all from the expert that has crushed his NBA picks, and find out.
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