The Milwaukee Bucks are one win away from winning their first NBA championship in half a century, as they look to close out the Phoenix Suns at the Fiserv Forum in Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals Tuesday night.

It has been quite the turnaround for the Eastern Conference champions over the last week, taking three straight and becoming the first road team to win in this series  in Game 5 after the Suns 2-0 lead.

At the center of that dramatic 123-119 win on Saturday in Phoenix was the terrific two-way play of Jrue Holliday. The Bucks point guard’s defense has been prevalent all series but, outside of Game 3, his offensive woes throughout the Playoffs were too glaring to ignore. Needing to give his team a complete performance, Holliday produced the game of his career in Game 5 with 27 points (off 60% shooting) 13 assists, 3 steals and a block, highlighted by his steal of Devin Booker and alley-oop pass to Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Booker had another 40-pt outing in these Finals and Chris Paul had a bounce back performance in Game 5. But Monty Williams team’s lack of size and not putting Milwaukee away has come back to haunt the Suns, who now are the team needing to win to stay alive these Playoffs. The 37-21 first quarter lead on Saturday, coupled with the nine-point fourth quarter lead in Game 4, are missed opportunities that now have Booker, CP3 and company with no margin for error.

The Bucks look to go 4-0 in close out games (games in which they have the chance to clinch a series win) this Playoffs with a title-clinching victory. Here are my best bets and score predictions for Game 6.

Player Prop Bets

Cameron Payne, Over 7.5 Points (+105)

The Suns point guard is always capable of instant offense off the bench. Only a two-point performance in Game 2 is where Payne did not look to score, as he has scored more than the total line here twice in this series.

Shots maybe a premium in this “Do or Die” contest for the Suns, but this is a good opportunity to win a profit here by going with the over for the talented lefty.

Cameron Johnson, Over 8.5 Points (+105)

Just like his fellow bench backcourt Cameron, the 6’8” UNC shooter is capable of providing instant offense off the pine. Johnson has been confident in these Finals and NBA Playoffs overall. He’s gotten over this points total three of the five games this series. And he’s come close to getting over the total in the other two games.

Both Camerons are pivotal to the Suns staying alive, and it is very reasonable for both to be in double figures tonight.

P.J. Tucker, Over 1.5 assists (+190)

This is definitely a stretch for Tucker to find two assists, even if the game happens to go overtime. But in Game 1, he did have double the assists. It also happened in the close out game against the Hawks, so placing a bet on this is beyond worth it.

Over/Under Total, 222 Points

Only Game 4 was relatively “low scoring” in this series, as all the other games have either been well over the total points line or right near it (Game 3 reaching 220 points, under the 222 points line).

Game 5 was a terrific peak shooting display by both teams, so don’t expect a repeat of that. With this being a close out game, the possessions will likely slow down as the intensity ratchets up further.

Holiday’s two outstanding scoring games have been the difference with the Bucks scoring at least 120 points. Despite that needed confidence boost, I think Holliday’s points total comes back down into the teens tonight. And with how the tension of this Game 6 will be constant throughout, I think we will see the Under in this clinching or continuing series contest.

Final Score Prediction: Suns 104, Bucks 113

The momentum of this series has dramatically switched, where the Bucks have slowly understood to work inside-out instead of the wrong opposite approach that played into the Suns hands for a majority of the series.

Phoenix really had their chances of having the Larry O’Brien trophy already in their grasps. But they did not put Milwaukee away when they were the ones controlling the tempo of the series.

The increased confidence from Holiday and Khris Middleton to help Antetokounmpo with the scoring load is what the Bucks needed to win this title. Great bench work from Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton has shifted the balance attack away from the Suns to Milwaukee as the series has progressed.

The Suns have had a remarkable season and a spirited competitive effort will always come from a Monty Williams team. But it will be a memorable title winning night for The Cream City, lifting their second NBA title 50 years after their first.