The Milwaukee Bucks will be looking to take their first series lead in this year's NBA Finals clash with the Phoenix Suns when they return to action on Saturday night in Game 5 as 4-point road underdogs on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Milwaukee continued its recent strong play at home with Wednesday's 109-103 win that leaves the series knotted at two games apiece going into Saturday night's matchup at Phoenix Suns Arena.
Success at home has emerged as a theme in this year's NBA Finals, with each team claiming a pair of home victories. However, with Phoenix maintaining home-court advantage as the series is reduced to a best-of-three, the Bucks continue to lag as +125 underdogs on the NBA championship odds.
Despite having the odds against them, the Bucks clearly have the momentum entering Game 5. Milwaukee turned in a dominating performance in a lopsided 120-100 win in Game 3, and overcame a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to claim victory on Wednesday night.
Khris Middleton led the charge for the Bucks in Game 4, draining a playoff-high 40 points, including 10 straight points late in the contest. As well, Giannis Antetokounmpo maintained the torrid pace he has established in this series, picking up 26 points and 14 rebounds. That marked Antetokounmpo's 17th double-double in 19 appearances in this year's playoffs, and has lifted him to the top of the NBA Finals MVP odds as a +130 favourite.
While the Bucks have clawed their way back into this series with their success on home hardwood, they still face the challenge of overcoming their recent shaky performance on the road. The team has fallen to defeat in three of its past four away contests, all by double-digit margins, and sports a middling 5-6 SU record in 11 overall road playoff games.
Further complicating matters for Milwaukee is the team's current five-game SU and against the spread losing streak when visiting the Suns, who look to Game 5 set as -170 moneyline favourites at sports betting sites.
Like Milwaukee, the Suns have struggled at times on the road during the postseason, but have remained red-hot at home. Phoenix currently enjoys a steady 7-1 SU run on home court, and has been nearly unbeatable when set as narrow home chalk, going 12-1 SU and 11-2 ATS in its past 13, including seven straight outright wins. In addition to giving them an edge on the Game 5 odds, their recent dominance at home has helped maintain the Suns' position as -145 favourites to claim the first NBA championship in franchise history.
