On the line in Game 5 is a 3-2 series lead, so expect an edge-of-your-seat kind of action in the desert between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns.
Catch this game live on Sunday, July 18, at 9 AM, Manila time.
HOME TEAM: Phoenix Suns (2-2, 2-0 at home)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Chris Paul
- SG: Devin Booker
- SF: Mikal Bridges
- PF: Jae Crowder
- C: Deandre Ayton
Based on a quick glance of the matchup stats of Game 4, it appears as though the Suns should have won that contest. They shot over 51% from the field and limited the Bucks to only 40.2 FG%. Instead, Phoenix took a 109-103 road loss, in part because the Suns had to manage the minutes of Devin Booker in the fourth quarter — just when they needed him the most.
Booker played just around seven minutes in the fourth due to foul trouble, leaving the Suns without their top gun. Booker still ended up with 42 points, which wouldn’t have likely been wasted had Chris Paul performed up to par. Paul only had 10 points and turned the ball over seven times. Phoenix is relying on Paul to be its stabilizing figure, and that will have to show up in Game 5.
The good news is that the Suns will be at home Sunday, where they have won eight of their last 10 games there. In addition, the Suns are 7-3 ATS in those outings. They covered the spread in Games 1 and 2 against the Bucks as well.
ROAD TEAM: Milwaukee Bucks (2-2, 0-2 on the road)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Jrue Holiday
- SG: Khris Middleton
- SF: PJ Tucker
- PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- C: Brook Lopez
Khris Middleton channeled his inner Kobe and laid waste all over the Suns in Game 4. He finished with 40 points, including 10 of their last 12 points of the contest, essentially keeping Milwaukee’s boat from tipping over in the clutch. Middleton will enter Game 5 with an average of 24.5 points in the series, thus far.
Jrue Holiday was once again awful on offense, as he went 4 of 20 for 13 points in Game 4, but he was tremendous defensively. He had three steals and did an admirable job in helping keep Paul in check. The Bucks’ length is starting to bother Phoenix, which picked up 17 turnovers in Game 4. Those errors were converted by Milwaukee into 24 points, many of which were reflected in the Bucks’ 15 fastbreak points to just zero by the Suns.
Having finally rattled Phoenix, now is the right time for a Bucks win in Suns territory. The Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last five games and 5-2 ATS in their last seven during Sundays (Manila).
PREDICTIONS:
Spread: You may have heard that the Suns are getting a ton of action, but I’m taking the Bucks to cover for the first time in Phoenix in this series. The Suns win, but Milwaukee beats the spread (+4).
Over/Under: This will be a tightly contested game from beginning to end, given what’s on the table (a 3-2 series lead). Take the Under (218.5).
