Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks Prediction and Match Preview - June 29th, 2021 | Game 4, 2021 NBA Playoffsย
The Milwaukee Bucks face the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the 2021 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at the State Farm Arena on Tuesday.
The Hawks failed to capitalise on their home-court advantage against the Bucks in Game 3, losing 102-113 at the State Farm Arena to concede a 2-1 lead in the series.
Khris Middleton tied his playoff career-high on the night, scoring 38 points on 57.7% shooting from the floor, including six threes. He outscored the entire Atlanta Hawks team in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 points to tally of 17. Middleton's late burst was massive for the Bucks, as they were down by seven points at one stage down the stretch.
Meanwhile, Trae Young was the best player for the Hawks again, scoring 35 points on 52.2% field-goal shooting, including six threes. He was largely responsible for keeping the game a closely contested affair.
Match Details
Fixture - Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks | Game 4, 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Date & Time - Tuesday, June 29th, 8:30 PM ET (June 30th, 6:00 AM IST).
Venue - State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA.
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks did a decent job in maintaining their composure in Game 3, despite the Atlanta Hawks stretching away with leads on multiple occasions during the match,
The Bucks did not lead the game until the third quarter of the match when they gained a two-point advantage over their opponents. They continued to attack the paint, outscoring the Hawks 56-34 in that area. Meanwhile, their three-point shooting wasn't up to the mark for most of the match until Khris Middleton hit four of their 11 threes on the night in the last quarter.
The Milwaukee Bucks will have to improve their free-throw shooting in the next match, though, as they only made 12 of 21 shots from there. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 33 points on 61% shooting from the floor, missed seven shots from the foul line.
Key Player - Khris Middleton
Khris Middleton's return to form after two abysmal outings in the series was a welcome change for the Milwaukee Bucks. He is one of their most reliable players alongside Antetokounmpo. Middleton's fourth-quarter burst in Game 3 showed exactly why the Bucks need him to be in top form moving forward as well.
Middleton's ability to make shots for himself and score quick buckets to shift momentum to his team's side make him key for the next match. He will look to get going from the opening minute, as the Atlanta Hawks do tend to do well at home, something they showed in their last game.
Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Jrue Holiday l Shooting Guard - Khris Middleton l Small Forward - PJ Tucker l Power Forward - Giannis Antetokounmpo l Center - Brook Lopez.
Atlanta Hawks Preview
The Atlanta Hawks were very close to winning their last match and should be proud of the way they bounced back from their 34-point loss in Game 2.
They will hope that Trae Young's ankle injury doesn't hinder him in their next match, and he is fit enough to help them level the series before they head back to Wisconsin for Game 5. He sprained and tweaked his ankle after stepping on the referee's foot late in the third quarter.
That affected his performance down the stretch, which played a key role in depriving the Atlanta Hawks of a well-deserved win.
The Hawks will have to try to replicate what they did in the last match early on and capitalize on the Milwaukee Bucks' errors to put them under pressure and keep building on leads.
The Atlanta Hawks will also have to limit their turnovers, as the Milwaukee Bucks scored 16 points off them in the last match.
Key Player - John Collins
John Collins will have to take up more responsibility at the offensive end in the next match, especially if Trae Young isn't able to play at 100%. Collins has been shooting the ball well in his limited attempts but needs to do more of that to give his team an edge in the scoring department.
Collins shot six of eight from the floor and had 13 points to his name. If he does attempt and makes more shots, the Hawks will have a good chance of winning this game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Atlanta Hawks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Trae Young l Shooting Guard - Bogdan Bogdanovic l Small Forward - Kevin Huerter l Power Forward - John Collins l Center - Clint Capela.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks Prediction
Trae Young said after Game 3 that he was in pain because of the ankle injury he sustained during the match. Nevertheless, his absence gives the Milwaukee Bucks a much better chance of winning the game on Tuesday, as Young has been the focal point of the Hawks' offense throughout the season.
With Young not at 100%, the Hawks could find it difficult to compete, making the Bucks the overwhelming favorites for this game.
Where to watch Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks Game 4?
Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks will be televised nationally on TNT. The game can be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass. Fans in India can catch the game on Star Sports Select.