Eastern Conference Finals [email protected] Game 4: Preview and Prediction

As quickly as the Milwaukee Bucks lost homecourt advantage in the Eastern Conference final they have regained it, knocking off the Atlanta Hawks 113-102 on Sunday night to take a 2-1 series lead. The Bucks can move a step closer to their first Finals appearance in half a century with a win Wednesday in Game 4. And the Hawks could be impacted by an ankle injury to Trae Young. Of course, if Youn’s injury slows him down even a little bit then the Hawks season will be all but over.

Young exited briefly after getting hurt in the second half and wasn’t the same once he returned. The Bucks overcame a fourth-quarter deficit holding the Hawks to 17 points in the final stanza covering the 5-point closing spread for their second straight payout. And they are favored once again hitting the board as a 6-point favorite on the betting line. You have to figure that a desperate Hawks team will show up and the Hawks have shown plenty of mental toughness during these playoffs, so let’s not count them out just yet.

Keys to the game

Khris Middleton

If Middleton is on then it’s probably a wrap for the Bucks as Middleton really puts this team into the stratosphere when he plays well as he did in game 3. Youn know Giannis will get his but the Hawks have to find a way to defend Middleton or this series will be over quickly. Now let me say this there is no guarantee that Middleton plays another game like game 3 as he did not play anything like that in his previous 3 games prior to going off.

Trae Young

Young has to be at or close to 100 percent for the hawks to win games in this series and after he came back on the court after his injury he was bothered by the injury. Jrue Holiday has done a commendable job guarding Young and it has hurt young on the offensive end of the floor. Trae will have to be at his best if the Hawks want to get back in this series and I don’t really see that happening.

Prediction

With a hobbled Young the Hawks are toast and I think that’s what we will see in game 4. Bucks 110  Hawks 99.