The Phoenix Suns find themselves back in the NBA Finals for The first time since the 1992-93 season. This time around, they won’t have to deal with this dude named Michael Jordan; you might’ve heard of him. The last time the Milwaukee Bucks participated in the final series of the playoffs, I wasn’t even born yet! Regardless of it taking so long for both franchises to get back to the championship round, they’re here now and it looks like online sportsbooks will have a competitive matchup in play. Phoenix will have the leg up heading into the series with it last taking to the hardwood back on June 30. As for Milwaukee, it was forced to win Game 6 on the road in Atlanta on Saturday night and could be forced to tip the series off without the services of Giannis Antetokounmpo who is still listed as questionable with a hyperextended leg. After going all-out to beat Atlanta in the Eastern Conference finals, it’s going to be tough for the Bucks to match the Suns intensity which has me leaning towards laying the chalk on the NBA odds in the series opener.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns will tip-off on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 from the Phoenix Suns Arena. The game will be broadcast live on ABC at 9 p.m. ET. We'll have NBA playoff odds and player props available at BookMaker.eu for every game of the NBA Finals.
NBA Betting Lines at BookMaker.eu
Milwaukee Bucks -6
Phoenix Suns +6
Total 217
Odds Analysis
If the end results of the two regular season meetings between these teams carry over into the finals, NBA bettors and fans of the sport are going to thoroughly enjoy each and every second of this matchup. Phoenix swept the season rivalry, but did so by the slimmest of margins. The Suns won both meetings by a single point logging the 125-124 outright win and cover as 4-point home dogs in February, and followed it up with a 128-127 outright win as 3-point Fiserv Forum underdogs in the rematch. Both tilts combined to soar over the closing total with an average of 252 points per game denting the scoreboard. With that, it comes with little surprise to see the Suns clocking in as -188 favorites to win their first-ever title. However, the betting markets have sided ever so slightly with the visiting Bucks in the series opener. Game 1 hit the board with the Suns installed 6-point favorites and the total lined at 217. While neither impost has moved off the openers, elevated vig is currently attached to Milwaukee with other outlets already dropping the pointspread to 5.5.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks disposed of the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks to punch a ticket to the Finals. The team won 12 of its 17 total playoff games to get to this point, and only failed to cover in two of those wins. Every loss tallied also saw it fail to cover the closing pointspread. The team does however enter this series after expending a ton of energy to get by Trae Young and his mates. As potent the team proved to be throughout the regular season in scoring better than 120 points per game (No. 1) and ranking No. 6 in offensive efficiency, the over has only cashed in five times. The only series that saw it log a losing mark both SU and ATS on the road came against the Brooklyn Nets. Its lone triumph however came in Game 7.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns were one of the two best teams in the Western Conference throughout the regular season in winning 51 of 72 overall played games and going on to cover the NBA odds at a 42-28-2 ATS clip. It did so by playing an efficient brand of offensive basketball that saw it rank No. 2 in both field goal and free throw percentage while tickling the twine for just over 115 points per game. Only the Jazz, Clippers and Nets ran a more efficient attack. It backed it up with a solid defense that held all opposition to fewer than 110 points per game (No. 7) and ranked out as the fifth best team in the league at defending the perimeter. The trio of Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul led the team to 12-4 SU and 11-5 ATS records against the Lakers, Nuggets and Clippers.
Milwaukee vs. Phoenix Prediction
There are so many moving parts heading into Game 1 that it makes my head spin! Will Giannis be healthy enough to give it a go? Can the Bucks continue to survive without their alpha should he be deemed unfit to do so? How will the Suns handle the pressure of performing on the grandest of stages without a single player on the roster having experienced the pressure that comes with winning a title? Right now, it all comes down to the coaches and the fact that Giannis likely won’t participate early on in the series. More times than not, I feel the Bucks find ways to win in spite of Budenholzer. I don’t think he’s a very good coach. I can’t and won’t say the same for Monty Williams. He’s impressed the heck out of me this season! Because of that and Milwaukee likely running on fumes, I recommend laying the home chalk with the Suns in Game 1.
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