Milwaukee's NBA playoff odds took a hit when center Andrew Bogut went down with a terrible injury late in the season, and the Bucks missed him in their Game 1 loss against Atlanta. The Hawks will try to take a 2-0 series lead when Game 2 goes in Atlanta on Tuesday night.
Bucks vs Hawks odds – Tuesday, April 20, 7:00 PM ET
Brandon Jennings was Milwaukee's main threat in a 102-92 loss on Saturday, as he was just two points short of the record Derrick Rose set for a rookie in their playoff debut with 34 points, going 14-of-25 from the field. John Salmons added 16 points for the Bucks, who shot 45.1%, but Jennings' hot hand caused the ball to stop moving as the Bucks had just 11 assists. The Bucks are used to going inside to Bogut, and then back outside, but with no dependable post option, the Milwaukee offense is now one-dimensional, and the Bucks are going to have to find another way to score.
Six players reached double figures for the Hawks, led by Joe Johnson's 22 points, and balance was a staple of the Atlanta attack all season long. The Hawks shot 53.9% from the field, and while they attempted just 11 three-pointers, they hit 11 of them. The Hawks also outrebounded the Bucks 40-35, and they were very disciplined defensively, shutting down the rest of the Bucks and forcing Jennings to go at it alone, which is a surefire way to earn a win.
Online sports betting odds should favor the Hawks at home, as the Bucks have now dropped seven straight games in Atlanta, and the Hawks have been one of the best home teams in the NBA all season. The Bucks have some work to do if they want to avoid going down 0-2, and they're going to have to get some help for Jennings. You can't put that much pressure on one player, especially a rookie point guard that is susceptible to having poor shooting nights. They're going to need Salmons to play like he did for Chicago in last year's first-round epic against Boston, and they're going to need Carlos Delfino to be more aggressive as he was just 1-of-4 on the day for four points. The Hawks showed that they have more than enough weapons if Johnson has a bad day, and the 19 points they received from Mike Bibby was a pleasant surprise. Unless someone else steps up for Milwaukee, or Jennings for a night similar to his 55-point performance against Golden State earlier in the year, it's going to be a long and quiet flight back to Milwaukee.
Bet NBA: Atlanta Hawks
