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The Milwaukee Bucks will look to follow up their resounding 125-91 Game 2 victory with another triumph over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3. The Hawks will look to surge ahead as the series shifts to Atlanta, but home has not always been kind for the Hawks. They went 1-2 at home against the 76ers last series.
Below is a look at a number of predictions ahead of Friday’s game for the Free $5K DraftKings Pools - Playoff Edition (MIL-ATL).
Bucks vs. Hawks Game 3 pool picks
Which team will cover the spread? Bucks -4.5 or Hawks +4.5
The Bucks are the better team on paper and they showed it in Game 2, opening up a 40-point lead after three quarters. While they are unlikely to shoot the same percentages again, it appears Milwaukee’s offense is finally clicking on all cylinders. Take the road team to cover the spread.
How many total points will be scored? Over/under 223.5
Game 1 went over this line and Game 2 went under. Both teams should see their shooting percentage normalize, with the Bucks missing more shots and the Hawks making more, in Game 3. The over is more likely to hit here.
Which team will reach 15 points first in the first quarter? Bucks, Hawks, Neither
15 points is an incredibly low threshold for scoring, making this as good as blindly throwing a dart at the target. The Hawks won’t play as poorly as they did in Game 2 and most of what went wrong for them happened in the second quarter. Take Atlanta to reach this milestone first.
Which team will make more 3-pointers?
The Bucks made more triples in Game 2, while the teams tied on this category in Game 1. The Hawks are going to keep firing from deep, but they’ve failed to find efficiency in this strategy so far. Expect Milwaukee to win this category again in Game 3.
Which player will have more points and assists? Khris Middleton or Jrue Holiday
Holiday is showing why he can be considered a third star in the first two games of this series, averaging 27.5 points and 8.5 assists. Middleton struggled in Game 1, but bounced back in Game 2 with 15 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Holiday has the hot hand right now, so take him to beat his backcourt mate in this category.
Trae Young points, rebounds and assists? Over/under 43.5
Young had a bad game in Game 2, going 6-16 from the floor and committing nine turnovers. He still managed to get 20 combined points, rebounds and assists. The over is still the better choice but if Young’s struggles could continue, look for this line to go down.
Giannis Antetokounmpo points, rebounds and assists? Over/under 53.5
The Greek Freak went under the line in Game 2 despite Milwaukee’s blowout win. Antetokounmpo’s talent level is undeniable, but this line is massive. Take the under again, even as Antetkounmpo continues to deliver big games.
Which team will win the 4th quarter?
Atlanta’s rotation players actually edged Milwaukee’s bench unit in the final frame of Game 2. The teams were even in this category in Game 1. Expect Game 3 to trend closer to the opener, but the Hawks have proven they’re the stronger team closing out games. Take Atlanta in this category.
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