The two Eastern Conference teams left standing this season, the Bucks and Hawks, took very different paths to the conference semifinals.
Milwaukee, led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and All-Star Khris Middleton, has made the playoffs for five straight seasons, making it as far as the Eastern Finals in 2019, but never quite getting over the hump. This represents the club’s best chance to break through and compete for a title for the first time in decades.
Atlanta, meanwhile, last made the Eastern Finals back in 2015, when current Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer was at the helm. That 60-win squad was slowly torn down over the next year or two as the Hawks entered a rebuilding process that saw the team win just 24, 29, and 20 games in the three seasons from 2017/18 to ’19/20.
Even with ascendant young players like Trae Young and John Collins leading the way, and several veteran free agents added to the roster in the 2020 offseason, this season’s Hawks appeared lottery-bound, getting off to a 14-20 start. However, since Nate McMillan replaced Lloyd Pierce as Atlanta’s head coach, this has looked like a different team. The Hawks finished the regular season by winning 27 of their last 38 games and have now made an unexpectedly deep postseason run, upsetting the Knicks and Sixers in the first two rounds.
The Bucks are built to win now, having traded several future draft picks last fall in a blockbuster deal for Jrue Holiday. They’ll enter the Eastern Finals as big favorites to win the series (they’re listed as -460 on BetOnline.ag). And after knocking off the Nets – who had been considered the championship frontrunners – anything short of an appearance in the NBA Finals will be considered a disappointmentin Milwaukee.
The Hawks’ season, on the other hand, is already a huge success, and that won’t change even if the team is swept by the Bucks. That doesn’t mean Atlanta will go down quietly though — this group showed during the second half of the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs that it’s for real, and has the luxury of entering the Eastern Finals with the pressure relatively off. The Hawks are essentially playing with house money and shouldn’t have to carry the weight of a looming roster or coaching staff shakeup should they fall short of the NBA Finals.
With Game 1 set to tip off in a matter of hours, we want to get your thoughts on the Eastern Conference Finals. Do you expect the Bucks or Hawks to advance to the NBA Finals? How many games do you think it will take for a team to get to four wins? Do you expect the Eastern winner to ultimately take home the championship?
Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to share your thoughts!
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I think the Bucks are gonna win, but I bet on the Hawks. Enough of a toss-up to go for the bigger money. Hawks are a very complete team, and the Bucks have ALL the pressure on them.
Also don’t forget those Trae Young Prop bets! Good night last night.
If everyone is healthy, Hawks are not top 10 team in the nba
Bucks are 6-10 team in the nba
Hawks 11-15 team in the nba
Those Healthy Jazz, Lakers, Clipper and Nets are far better than both
Part of being a great team and player is durability. The NBA playoffs have always been part attrition. If it weren’t for injuries Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson would have 5 rings.
Even as a Jazz fan I’d argue all those teams aren’t as good as the Bucks. The Jazz lack a good wing stopper which you need in the playoffs. After LeBron and Davis the Lakers have no one that would be better than a 6th man on great teams. Even without injuries the Nets have no cohesion. Even LeBron/Wade’s heat needed a year to gel. Clippers are in the same boat as the Lakers. 2 great players and a bunch of 6th men.
kinda what I said previously in my discussion on this year’s Nets. the reality is, with as many injury concerns as the Nets, it becomes part of what your team is. its to be expected, something you have to live with. as has been said, the best ability is availability.
Bucks in 5
Bucks in 5.
I would be fine with literally any four of these teams winning a championship. Very rare. Bucks in 7.
I have Hawks in 6 or 7. I saw absolutely nothing last series that convinced me this Bucks team is great. They barely got past a Nets team running out KD 3 guys and the shell of James Harden. I wouldn’t be SHOCKED if Bucks win, but I think the Hawks are playing better right now.
I have Bucks in 5. I saw absolutely nothing last series that convinced me that this Hawks team is great.They barely got past a 76ers team running out Embiid with a torn knee, Tobias Harris and a bunch of scrubs. I would be SHOCKED if the Hawks win as the Bucks are playing far better this post season than any other team but the Suns.
Lol
Morey said
Everyone has to do better
It means to me that
Doc Rivers has to improve his coaching
and Simmons has to …
the Sixers absolutely blew that series, but ATL improved throughout and showed incredible grit. the reality is, as much as these Bucks are no pushovers, they just looked very mortal vs an injury riddled Nets team last series.
If the Bucks are ever going to be a great team with GA, then they need to show it in this series. Squeaking out a series with the Nets should relax them. Nets were depleted and that hurt the Nets, but it also made it tough for the Bucks to be at their best. The Hawks are now (oddly) a known commodity; they are who they were the entire second half of the season. Bucks are either better or they’re not. If not, I don’t expect them to ever be a champion with this group, or even a rejiggered one centered on GA.
Yes I agree DXC. This is do-or-die time for the bucks. All their chips are on the table, literally, with this squad and there’s nothing left in their pockets if someone calls. Is this hand enough to win? We’ll see right here in this and possibly the next series.
Bucks are woozies. They lucked out against Nets. Plain and simple. Worse is them backing down from KD. Giannis should of welcomed the challenge to stop him. He’s lost some respect with me. Seems Middleton is the one with the basket balls on this team. Hawks are probably only team Bucks don’t fear at all. Wish they had Hunter. We will all see now why Holiday is on this team. Trae is about to become real close with him. Bucks have lost me. Their coach suxx and they are weak to me. I’m rooting for Chris, Booker, Ayton. Don’t care who wi s East. But ratings and series should be better with Bucks vs Suns. So that’s what I want.
I told my buddies last night they better go to Middleton for this last shot. He’s an All-Star, makes big money, and the #2 guy on this team. Well he missed. Let’s see how this plays out. The Bucks are all in here with zero backup plan.
So… If you put ten bucks on an Atlanta-Milwaukee ECF before the season, what would the payoff be?
HUGE
Can’t understand how this Bucks team has become so unlikable. Gino is a straight up dirty player. Will end up hurting someone IMO.
Hawks kinda have a 2011 Cardinals feel to me.
and my prediction was Hawks in 7, fwiw
The difference I’m seeing in the East is that Trae Young is showing me that he is a Primetime player. There’s plenty of guys that are good and score 20 a game or 10 assists a game and all that. Trae young is showing me that when the game is on the line or the team needs a bucket here or something like that, he’s their man. Rare Breed.
I had bucks in four or five fwiw. Can coach Bud make the necessary adjustments after seeing what went down in game one?
Stick with Bucks… Jrue has to come through though. Bucks in 7 or Hawks in 5 if he doesn’t.
Truth, I can’t see anyone stopping Trae from flitting around. El Don was right. It would take hand-checking… which could get allowed unofficially. A questionable rule anyway, instituted because some were taking advantage. Well who is now, the other way… don’t dislike though… Trae & Cam Payne?