We are at the crunch stage of the NBA Conference finals and this is when the big players often step up to deliver for their team.
There are few currently bigger than Giannis Antetokounmpo and he looks primed to take the Milwaukee Bucks, now the 5/6 favs to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy, all the way and lead them to the title – which would be their first since 1971.
Meanwhile, in the West, Phoenix Suns look to be on course to reach their first NBA final since 1993 as they look to end the hopes of the LA Clippers.
The updated #NBAPlayoffs bracket after the @LAClippers (2-3) win Game 5 on the road and force a Game 6!
TUESDAY on TNT
8:30pm/et: MIL@ATL (Bucks lead 2-1) pic.twitter.com/3eDRlDP3au— NBA (@NBA) June 29, 2021
The Suns have often played in the shadow of the mid-90s team, featuring the likes of Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle, but are now making their own history and are 29/20 to become NBA champions.
Bucks’ Greek Ace to Shine
Game Four of the Eastern Championship takes place on Wednesday, with Milwaukee taking a 2-1 lead over Atlanta Hawks going into the clash at the State Farm Arena.
The Hawks may have home advantage in the latest encounter, but the Bucks won comfortably in Atlanta in Game Three and look to be peaking at just the right time and can be backed at 10/27 in Wednesday’s Moneyline.
Mike Budenholzer’s men have won four of their last five games and the points have been flowing, having racked up over 100 in each of their last seven matches.
The Bucks’ coach spent five years in charge of the Hawks (2013-2018), so that looks to be another factor that gives Milwaukee the edge.
Giannis – 11/10 to be Finals MVP – continues to take all the headlines with some stunning displays – scoring 33 points in Game Four and he’s scored a combined total of 92 points across the first three games of the series.
At 26, now seems the right time for the ‘Greek Freak’ to collect his first NBA title, in what is his eighth season with the Bucks.
The main threat to Milwaukee’s hopes comes from the Hawks’ point guard Trae Young – who scored 48 points in Game 1 – but the Bucks have restricted him to 50 points across the last two games.
Suns Beaming with Confidence
Phoenix have put themselves in a strong position in the Western Conference final, taking a 3-2 lead into Thursday’s Game Six in Los Angeles.
The Clippers have done well to hang onto the coat-tails of the Suns, considering star man Kawhi Leonard is missing with his knee sprain.
Forward Paul George came to the party in Game Five, scoring 41 points and claiming 13 rebounds in the 116-102 victory in Arizona.
But the Suns, who had an extended break after wrapping up their Western semi-final early, look to have the edge and one more win will be enough to see them clinch a third Conference title in franchise history. Phoenix are 20/21 to win Game Six and can be backed at 50/57 with +1 on the handicap.
Devin Brooker has been the key man in recent weeks and his 31 points in defeat in Game Five, shows he can be influential in the Sun’s potential run to the NBA Finals. Brooker is currently 3/1 to be named Finals MVP.
*All odds correct at time of writing