Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers Game 6: Eastern Conference Playoffs – First round
The Milwaukee Bucks refused to lose the series at home and after a heroic performance they will try to tie things up when they visit the Indiana Pacers on Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Can the Bucks pull out another one?
The Milwaukee Bucks have no luck at all this postseason. First, they lost their best player, Giannis Antetokounmpo to an injury late in the regular season, and then Damian Lillard went down in Game 4. However, the Bucks won Game 5 115-92 to become the first team in NBA history to win a playoff game with their top two scorers out. Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis scored 29 points each, and Malik Beasley added 18.
The Pacers are in good situation
The Indiana Pacers came into the series as an underdog, but things dramatically changed, and now they are one win away from advancing to the next round. They won Game 3 in Milwaukee and could win the series in the next one, but the Bucks simply outplayed them. Tyrese Haliburton led the way with 16 points in what was only the second game this season for the Pacers to score less than 100 points.
Betting Trends
Indiana has won 7 of their last 10 games overall and 6 of the last 9 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. The Bucks are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games overall and have lost the last five games on the road. The Pacers are 5-1 ATS in their last five games played in May while the Bucks are 1-5 ATS in the same month.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Milwaukee Bucks showed their character in Game 5 of the series by winning and staying alive in the series. This win is even more significant knowing that the Bucks were without their top two scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Bobby Portis stepped up, and Khris Middleton has been impressive all series long, even though he is not 100% healthy as well. The Pacers missed the first match point in the series, but now they will have a chance to close it at home. They are the better team at the moment and will most likely win the game, but we are going with the Bucks to cover the +8.5-point spread.
