[8:00 PM] Hawks @ Bucks

Who will WIN this matchup?

Atlanta Hawks (11-12)

@ Milwaukee Bucks (11-9)

 

• The line for this game is Milwaukee by 3.5 points.

• The Milwaukee Bucks are winning and have a star in the making in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who enters Friday’s home contest against the Atlanta Hawks off his second triple-double of the season. The only NBA player averaging at least 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals this season, the 22-year-old forward recorded his seventh career triple-double in Wednesday’s victory over Portland, Milwaukee’s fifth triumph in its past six contests.

• Atlanta has lost 10 of its past 12 and the offensive fluidity that has resulted in 108 wins the previous two seasons has been missing, the Hawks ranking near the bottom of the NBA in scoring at 100.3 points per game. Howard has grabbed 17 rebounds in two of his past three games and is among the league leaders at 12.7 per contest. Millsap has scored 45 points on 16-of-26 shooting from the field in two games since missing three contests with a hip injury.

• Milwaukee has one of the top young forward tandems in the league in Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker. Antetokounmpo is having an All-Star caliber season, averaging 22 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.3 blocks and 2.2 steals through 20 games, while the 21-year-old Parker is scoring 19.2 points per game for the season and 21.8 points in four games this month. The Bucks came into Thursday leading the NBA in opposing field-goal percentage (42.8 percent) and opposing 3-point shooting (31.8 percent).

• Howard is 48 points shy of 16,000 for his career, while Millsap is 22 point away from 11,000.

• The Hawks lead the season series 1-0, beating the Bucks 107-100 in Atlanta on Nov. 16 as Millsap scored 21 points; Antetokounmpo scored 26 points with 15 rebounds for Milwaukee.

• Atlanta PG Dennis Schroder is averaging 20.2 points and 7.8 assists in his past six games, shooting 50.5 percent from the field.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Milwaukee Bucks

Confidence: 5/10

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