Game: Milwaukee Bucks @ Atlanta Hawks
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Odds: Bucks -2.5, Hawks +2.5
Total: 234
Trae Young is approaching 1,000 points less than halfway through the season as he leads the Atlanta Hawks into their last regular-season game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. The Hawks have beaten the Bucks in two of the three encounters, most recently winning 121-106 at Milwaukee on November 14. Atlanta owns a four-game home winning streak against the Bucks.
Young has 989 points overall after scoring 30 points in Sunday’s 112-108 road win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He also has 353 assists, making him one of only three NBA players with 900 points and 300 assists. Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic are the other two and Young is the only player in the Eastern Conference to hit these numbers.
Young fell two points short of Dominique Wilkins’ franchise-record 42 points against the Bucks set in 1990 when the two teams played on October 29. Young has played 12 games against Milwaukee and has averaged 24.5 points and 8.5 assists.
In three of his previous four games and the last two in a row, Young has scored at least 30 points. His season average has increased to 27.5 points and 9.8 assists thanks to 15 games in which he scored 30 or more points, including 18 double-doubles.
Atlanta defeated the Clippers despite trailing by 11 points in the fourth quarter during its 2-2 road trip along the West Coast. Hawks head coach Nate McMillan reached 750 career wins with the win over Los Angeles.
The Bucks just completed the first part of a four-game road trip by defeating the New York Knicks 111-107 on Monday night. New York’s four-game winning streak came to an end as Milwaukee overcame a 17-point lead. Since losing four in a row in late December, Milwaukee has won four of its last six games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks with averages of 31.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. In his last six games, he has scored at least 40 points three times, pulled down at least 20 rebounds, and recorded a 30-point triple-double. For the fifth consecutive season, he is expected to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Antetokounmpo has faced the Hawks 31 times in his career, averaging 23.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists.
After missing the first 29 games of the season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, veteran Joe Ingles is getting back into condition for the Bucks. Against the Knicks, he played a season-high 28 minutes, scored 17 points, and made five 3-pointers.
Hawks C Clint Capela missed the last seven games due to right calf pain. He averages 12 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. He is listed as out for tonight. The Bucks are without Serge Ibaka, who will not join the club on its four-game road trip due to personal obligations. Milwaukee guard Khris Middleton has missed 12 straight games and is out again tonight.
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