Milwaukee Bucks are still giving opponents reasons to “Fear the Deer” in the NBA Playoffs. In fact, the Bucks are now odds-on favorites at Iowa sportsbooks to claim their first NBA Championship since the 1970-71 season.
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The Bucks kept their season alive with a 115-111 Game 7 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. The third seed in the East will have the home-court advantage over fifth-seeded Atlanta.
The Bucks remained a steady 7-point favorite for Wednesday’s Game 1 at 7:30 p.m. TNT has the broadcast.
Christian Cipollini, a sports trader at BetMGM, said the Bucks are -500 to win the series and have an 83% probability of advancing past Atlanta:
“The Bucks will likely be favored in every game of the series. They are the better team by most metrics.”
The Hawks ousted top seed Philadelphia 103-96 in another Game 7 thriller over the weekend.
NBA Playoffs: Hawks vs. Bucks Game 1 odds
The Bucks-Hawks winner will face the Phoenix–LA Clippers winner for the NBA Championship.
Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals is 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The second-seeded Suns took a 1-0 series lead Sunday with a 120-114 win over the Clippers in Phoenix. ESPN has the game. Sportsbooks started the week favoring the Suns by about 6 points. It’s closer to a 5-point Suns edge for Game 2 as of Tuesday.
NBA Playoffs: Clippers vs. Suns Game 2 odds
PointsBet thinks Bucks-Suns is the most likely NBA Finals pairing at -220. Followed by:
- Bucks-Clippers +400
- Hawks-Suns +500
- Hawks-Clippers +2000
On Monday, PointsBet sports analyst Mike Korn told PlayIA why the next-door Bucks make up the two most likely NBA Finals combinations:
“The Bucks are at -550 to advance to the NBA (Finals) while the Hawks are currently at +400 to win the series. After the Bucks were able to knock the previous favorite Brooklyn Nets, they have been made the overall favorite to win the title at -110. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a tough matchup for any team and we see the Hawks struggling to stop the former league MVP.”
At -225, BetMGM also thinks Bucks-Suns will be the most likely NBA Final matchup, followed by:
- Bucks-Clippers +450
- Hawks-Suns +475
- Hawks-Clippers +2000
Status of star players could shift Bucks odds
Health issues could shift the odds out West. Clippers all-star forward Kawhi Leonard missed the series-clinching 131-119 win over the Utah Jazz.
Cipollini said:
“Kawhi is a top-five player in the league who would be playing 45 minutes a game and the biggest contributor on both sides of the ball for the Clippers. It’s a pretty significant loss if he can’t go. L.A. will need role players to step up and fill the void in order to win and Paul George has to take over. Losing Game 1 was tough. They’ll need to take advantage of all games without Chris Paul if they have any chance at winning.”
Paul’s status is day-to-day as he works through coronavirus-related health and safety protocols. The Phoenix guard also missed Game 1.
Korn said:
“Whichever team can be healthiest come finals time will be the better matchup to beat the Bucks. The traders will be keeping a close eye on the status of both players in the upcoming days. As of now, it seems like Paul and Leonard will both be out for Game 2 again. Paul is more likely to play as Kawhi has not even travelled to Phoenix with the team.”
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If you’re betting at BetMGM, you can opt into the NBA Playoff Overtime Insurance promotion.
If the customer’s team loses in overtime, they’ll receive a $20 bonus bet. The sportsbook is also offering a $30,000 NBA Shop Giveaway promotion. Customers get an entry each time they bet $10 or more in a playoff game. The grand prize is a $12,000 NBA Shop credit. The contest has $2,000 weekly winners as well.
Other ways to win during the Conference Finals
William Hill wagerers can take part in the Lucky Game 7 promotion for betting on the NBA the rest of the postseason.
Just bet at William Hill Sportsbook at least $50 on the point spread of any Game 7 through the NBA finals on July 22. You gets a free $100 bet if:
- Your team wins.
- At least one player on the team has a point total ending in 7.
You must use the bonus bet within seven calendar days. It can take about five days for the bonus bet to show up in your William Hill account. As always, go over all contest details before entering.
FanDuel has an odds boost for new customers during the conference finals or NBA Finals. Just register and make a $5 money wager to get a site credit payout equal to +3000. You can wager more than $5, of course. The promotional odds boost applies to the first $5 only. Check the FanDuel site for full details.
Betfred Sportsbook has a straightforward offer for Betfred customers, but still check the terms and conditions. The sportsbook is offering $100 in promo cash for Betfred customers who bet a total of $300 on the NBA or NHL playoffs. The bets have to be placed from June 18-27.
