With Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the lineup for Game 5, the Bucks will turn to Khris Middleton to lead them to a victory in a pivotal matchup when they host the Hawks tonight.
All eyes will be on Middleton this evening, so he is the focus of our Hawks vs. Bucks player prop bet pick ahead of this high stakes Game 5 matchup of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Hawks vs. Bucks Player Prop Bet Pick
Khris Middleton Over 43.5 Total Points, Rebounds & Assists (DraftKings Sportsbook -107)
With Antetokounmpo out tonight with a hyperextended knee, the Bucks will take on a drastically different look this evening. The Hawks were able to rally without Trae Young in Game 5 and now the Bucks will have to do the same without their star.
As such, Middleton is going to have to be a workhorse for Milwaukee, one similar to Paul George’s role in Game 5 for the Clippers once Kawhi Leonard went down.
Middleton has enough size and athleticism to contribute significantly in all offensive areas, already collecting six double-doubles this postseason to go with six more during the regular season.
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That ratio also displays how much more Milwaukee has had to lean upon his quality during the playoffs, as he has acquired the same number of double-doubles in 15 playoff games that he did in 68 outings during the regular season.
He has averaged 35.3 combined points, rebounds, and assists during the playoffs, obviously still leaving him a sizable gap to cover to reach this prop’s number. However, in games where Middleton has played 40+ minutes during the postseason, a number he will inevitably reach tonight, his points-rebounds-assists average skyrockets to 40.9 per game.
And keep in mind, of course, those were all games in which Antetokounmpo was largely involved. Now, Middleton will be the guy absorbing a considerable chunk of Antetokounmpo’s 21.1 shot attempts, 8.1 free throw attempts, 12.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists that he averaged during the Bucks’ postseason run, surely setting him up to sail well over the 43.5 needed for this prop.
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Remember, Middleton becomes an absolute stud at Fiserv Forum. He shoots 50.6% from the field and 46.8% from deep at home, averaging 2.4 made threes in those games. With tonight being of the utmost importance for Milwaukee, knowing a 3-2 deficit heading back to Atlanta would likely spell doom, it is worth noting some of the masterclasses Middleton has put on in pivotal games on this court during these playoffs.
KHRIS MIDDLETON IS ON FIRE 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/xA0EfqqNRh
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 28, 2021
Down 0-2 against Brooklyn, he went for 35 points and 15 rebounds in the Game 3 win. Then, with the Bucks’ backs to the wall down 3-2 to the Nets, the future Olympian posted a 38-point, 10-rebound, five-assist effort. Expect a stats of that ilk again tonight with Middleton thrust firmly into the spotlight.
Middleton can also be expected to play almost the entire game tonight. If you scale up his season numbers to 48 minutes, he averages 29.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game, good for a combined point-rebound-assist total of 47.7. That’s well above that which we require for this prop. The number feels more than feasible for Milwaukee’s other star.
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