The Milwaukee Bucks have gained control of the series against the Brooklyn Nets. No, they’re still tied with Brooklyn in the series matchup but must be feeling higher than the Nets, who now find themselves with some important questions to address. Check out our preview of Game 5 of Nets vs Bucks below.
Here comes the Bucks. After looking like they’re on their way to getting swept by Brooklyn following a 0-2 start to the series, the Bucks have now tied it all up with back-to-back wins at home in Games 3 and 4. The challenge now for Milwaukee is to win in Brooklyn, which the Bucks have failed to do so far in the series. This time, though, they will try with momentum on their side. Khris Middleton has answered the call of late after duds in Games 1 and 2. He’s averaged 27.0 points on 47.4 percent shooting from the field in the last two games, as Giannis Antetokounmpo’s main sidekick. The Bucks could also be facing a Brooklyn team minus Kyrie Irving in Game 5. If that turns out to be the case and Brooklyn continues to miss James Harden, the Bucks will have the perfect opportunity to grab the 3-2 series lead and push the Nets to the brink of elimination.
The Bucks are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven games against a team with a winning record.
Uh oh. The tables appear to have turned on the Nets, as they have now lost their tw0 game lead in the series. What’s making things worse for them are the injuries to Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Irving hurt his ankle in Game 4, and reportedly left the arena on crutches. That doesn’t sound good for Brooklyn, though he’s not yet been ruled out for Game 5, as of this writing. It’s best to monitor his status closely. Meanwhile, Harden has yet to play in the second round, but there’s also still a chance for him to play in Game 5. In any case, the Nets have Kevin Durant to lead them. KD struggled mightily in Game 4. He scored 28 points but went 9 of 25 from the field. Possibly without Kyrie and Harden in Game 5, Durant needs the likes of Joe Harris, Mike James, and Blake Griffin to help him carry the load on offense against a rejuvenated Bucks squad.
The Nets are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games playing on just a day of rest.
