The Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks meet for the third time after splitting their first two meetings.

Catch the game tomorrow at 8:30 AM, Manila time.

AWAY: Milwaukee Bucks (27-22, 16-8 AWAY)

Projected starting five:

  • Damain Lillard
  • Gary Trent Jr.
  • Taurean Prince
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • Brook Lopez

The Bucks will be coming off a 120-112 win over the Charlotte Hornets, which snapped a four-game skid – interestingly enough, it succeeded a 9-2 stretch. Nevertheless, it’s always good when you’re in the win column. Likely adding to the inspiration are the new guys: Kyle Kuzma and Kevin Porter Jr, who are collectively bringing an added firepower. Their status for tomorrow is up in the air, though.

After losing to the Hawks on December 5th, 119-104, they got revenge 10 days later on December 15th, 110-102. As expected, Giannis Antetokounmpo (31.5 PPG) and Damian Lillard (25.0 PPG) are leading the way in the season series, and it should remain as such. Brook Lopez, Taurean Prince,  Bobby Portis, and Gary Trent Jr. remain as the secondary guys, although all have struggled in the two meetings vs. ATL, with Lopez being the only one who’s averaging double-digit scoring in the head-to-head.

Milwaukee is scoring 118.3 PPG on a +3.0 net rating over its last 18 games.

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HOME: Atlanta Hawks (23-28, 11-12 HOME)

Projected starting five:

  • Trae Young 
  • Dyson Daniels
  • Zaccharie Risacher
  • Larry Nance Jr.
  • Onyeka Okongwu

The Hawks made a swift return to the win column on Thursday with a 126-125 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. They are now just 1-9 over their last 10 games, scoring 111.4 PPG with a -8.4 net rating across that span.

Sweet-shooting wings DeAndre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic were traded prior to the deadline, perhaps to make way for the rising Dyson Daniels (16.8 PPG in his last 10), who leads the league in steals, and 2024 top overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher (17.5 PPG in his last four). Either way, though, Trae Young will lead the show with his scoring and passing. He’s the league leader in assists at 11.5 per outing, and he has posted 26.5 points and 8.5 dimes in two meetings with the Bucks this season.

Defense will be key as the other side has a locomotive in Antetkounmpo and a headache in Lillard. We’ll see if the Hawks can channel their previous effort and edge the Bucks by double figures again.

PICKS:

Spread: Hawks (+6.5)

Over/Under: Under (241.5)

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