NBA Basketball
2010-05-02 - Milwaukie Bucks at Atlanta Hawks
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
NBA Basketball: Eastern Conference Quarter Final Game 7
Sunday 2nd May 2010 - Start 6pm GMT
The Series is tied 3-3
Preview
Surprisingly only 1 of the First Round series in the NBA Playoffs has required a 7th game... Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that it is the match involving Atlanta and Milwaukie.
The Bucks were comfortably beaten in the first 2 games of the series and were expected to be knocked off fairly easily as they are without Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut. However, Milwaukie had other ideas by winning 3 games in a row before blowing the chance to complete the upset with a disappointing effort at home in Game 6.
Atlanta have been accused of lacking the heart to go deep in the playoffs as they have been pushed to 7 games for the 2nd season in a row in the First Round of the playoffs. Many do not expect the winner to go to far in the playoffs with Orlando Magic awaiting the winner of this final game.
The Hawks were really disappointing in losing Game 5 at home but a solid defensive effort in Milwaukie saw them overcome the Bucks by limiting them to just 69 points.
Atlanta will hope to re-enforce their home as being a fortress after compiling a 36-8 record there this season and will look to ignore the fact that the Bucks winning Game 5 snapped a 14 game win record at home. Milwaukie are 19-25 on the road this season.
The winner of each game has also won against the spread in the series so far.
Prediction
This game could be tense for the Atlanta Hawks as they are the overwhelming favourites to win on home court against a team that should not have been here at this stage. It is clear that they are looking for a strong defensive effort to get them through and will look to keep control of the clock here.
Milwaukie are expected to have a better offensive effort in this game after the disappointment of Game 6. Much of that could have been down to the fact that they had a bit of pressure for the first time in this series as they had been written off by most before the series and especially at 2-0 down.
The Bucks could get an improved effort having to play on the road but it is tough to see them win another game in Atlanta who have been strong at home all season.
I am going to pick the under points total as I expect a lot of good defence from both sides and the tension may get to the sides if it remains close in the 4th Quarter.
The Pick :
Atlanta Hawks 92-85 Milwaukie Bucks
BEST BETTING TIP :
Take Under 185.5 Points in the game
