The Bucks will be coming off two great wins. After escaping San Antonio with a 109-107 win despite Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) being limited to only nine minutes of action, they made quick work of the Heat this past Friday, 118-106, scoring 42 points in the opening quarter.
Those are the types of wins they need heading into Atlanta, as they are 0-2 against the Hawks this season.
In trying to avoid a third consecutive loss to their East rival, expect the Bucks to keep pounding the ball down low. They are putting up a league-leading 50.4 PPG in the paint (tied with OKC), thanks to their towering frame (6’7.25 height average), which is by far the tallest in the NBA.
The all-around play of Giannis Antetokounmpo (23.2 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 2 BPG, 53 percent shooting) should also do damage, and the matchup problems he poses will keep opening up opportunities for his teammates. His main partner in scoring, Jabari Parker (20.8 PPG), should be able to operate effectively as well.
In their pair of games with the Hawks this season, Antetokounmpo is averaging 20 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, while Parker is at the 25 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 steals mark.
Aside from the two, Malcolm Brogdon is also deserving of some spotlight. The rookie has started for the Bucks in their last eight games and is registering 14 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game during the span.
The Bucks are 4-1 in their last five games in the road (3-2 ATS).
The Hawks’ seven-game winning streak (with the last four being on the road) got snapped by the surging Celtics Friday night. Isaiah Thomas was able to sink a go-ahead step-back jumper with only 2.4 ticks left, giving the Cs a 103-101 victory.
It was a heartbreaking loss, as they fought back hard after struggling for much of the game. They scored 36 points in the fourth quarter and almost recorded another comeback win.
This Sunday, though, the sting of the defeat shouldn’t affect them too much. As mentioned, this will be their third matchup with the Bucks this season and they beat them in the previous two meetings. In their encounter just over a month ago, the Hawks erased a 20-plus point lead in the second half and came away with a 114-110 win.
The team’s two main options, Paul Millsap (17.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.9 APG) and Dennis Schroder (17.4 PPG, 6.2 APG) are netting 22 PPG in their season series with the Bucks, and both should be able to do the same in the upcoming contest. Millsap is a combined 16-for-26 from the field (61.5 percent) in the said series.
Although the Hawks offense isn’t appealing stat-wise – 20th in scoring and 23rd in offensive efficiency – they make up for it by giving great effort on defense. They are eighth in points allowed (102.6 PPG), fourth in steals (8.6 SPG), and fifth in defensive efficiency.
The Hawks are 10-8 at home this season (8-10 ATS).
