NBA Playoff Picks – Bucks vs Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks had one of the most dominating and convincing wins of any team on night one of the NBA playoffs. But as they head toward Game 2 with the Bucks, should they be one of your NBA basketball picks on Tuesday night?

NBA Playoffs First Round: No. 6 Milwaukee Bucks (46-36 SU, 52-28-2 ATS) at No. 3 Atlanta Hawks (53-29 SU, 48-34 ATS)

Atlanta 1-0 Series Lead (1-0 ATS)

Tuesday, April 20: 7:00 p.m. NBA TV

Betting Odds: Atlanta -7 ½

Here are some NBA Betting Trends which may impact this game:

Milwaukee: 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games

Milwaukee: Total has gone OVER in their last 5 games

Atlanta: 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games

Atlanta: 4-0 SU in their last 4 games

What was most surprising about the Hawks win in Game 1, was how efficient their offense was against one of the NBA’s best defenses. Coming into the game, the Bucks ranked No. 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage defense, allowing just 45 percent shooting from the field. Atlanta came out hot however, and stayed hot, as they shot just under 54 percent from the field, en route to a 62 point first half, and a 10 point margin of victory.

Much like they’ve done all year, Atlanta got balanced scoring from across the board, as six players- including all five starters- scored in double figures. Superstar guard Joe Johnson led the team with 22 points, and Jamal Crawford contributed 17 off the bench.

As for Milwaukee, they are a team which has been greatly impacted by injuries, as both center Andrew Bogut and guard Michael Redd are on the sidelines for this series, instead of on the court. Because of it, coach Scott Skiles is forced to rely on a young and inexperienced core of players. And it was one of those young players who shined the brightest on Saturday.

Maybe the best performance of the entire playoffs so far was that of rookie guard Brandon Jennings, who singlehandedly carried Milwaukee for almost all of Game 1. He finished with 34 points on 14 of 25 shooting, and added three assists and three rebounds to boot. John Salmons added 16 points for the Bucks.

However, beyond those two, this offense looked quite stagnant, the biggest reason that the Hawks should be your basketball pick on Tuesday night.

The truth is, that Atlanta was already a much more explosive and athletic team than Milwaukee coming into this series, and without Bogut, things are even worse. Milwaukee was only outrebounded by five, but they seemed totally outclassed down low, as Atlanta’s frontcourt combo of Al Horford and Josh Smith combined for 17 rebounds.

Because of the size and athleticism differential, make the Hawks your basketball pick Tuesday. The Bucks were excellent against the spread all year, but injuries have finally started to take their toll. Take Atlanta in this game.

Aaron’s Pick: Atlanta -7 ½