Official Game Thread: Hawks at Bucks

[lethalweapon3]

Coach Van Exel: “I woke up feeling the cheesiest!”

 

Now the going gets rougher! Our Atlanta Hawks navigate their first SEGABABA game tonight, (8 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, BS Wisconsin), and any time it has to be on the road against Coach Bud, Giannis and the undefeated Milwaukee Bucks in the midst of their six-game homestand, it’s a scenario that’s far from optimal.

Still, this could have been an even taller task for Our Fine Feathered Friends. For one thing, this is the first back-to-back contest of the season for Milwaukee (4-0), too. The Bucks withstood the Knicks here at Fiserv Forum last night, their game having tipped off an hour after the Hawks and Pistons in Detroit.

Giannis (NBA leader in Player Impact Estimate and Plus/Minus, first in DREBs and made FGs) has been in Go-Ahead-and-Hand-Me-The-MVP mode from the outset of the season. But it’s not just The Greek Freak’s otherworldly play that makes him award-worthy. It’s that he has kept Milwaukee looking spiffy despite being without two starters (Khris Middleton and veteran free agent pickup Joe Ingles) and a key rotation piece (Pat Connaughton) at the wing due to injury recoveries.

Undrafted two-way guard AJ Green has been out with a nasal fracture, while G-Leaguer-turned-first-rounder MarJon Beauchamp has not yet been deemed ready for prime time. Field goal shooting without the swingmen has been mediocre but not atrocious. Jrue Holiday, trip-meister Grayson Allen and even Brook Lopez, second through fourth in floortime for the Bucks, are all shooting sub-40 percentages in the early going, yet Antetokounmpo has kept the entire offense (51.6 eFG%, 24^th in NBA) from plunging into the abyss.

The same (“mediocre but not atrocious”) could be said for the Bucks’ free throw marksmanship, up to 72.5 team FT% and out of last place after going 22-for-27 last night. Giannis does his part to keep TV producers from switching to picture-in-picture while he practices his charity heaves.

It is BudBall defense where Milwaukee is making its gravy, the tried-and-true “we may not score, but you won’t either!” adage (38.5 FG% vs. NYK, who shot 39.8% last night) that has become a hallmark of Mike Budenholzer-coached squads. Buck players are committed to haggling opponents into rushed, poorly-executed and otherwise unwise shots, then to ensure their foes’ possessions are of the one-and-done variety. The Bucks are tops in the league for both blocks and defensive rebounds, which is quite a feat.

It doesn’t hurt that they’ve got a junkyard dog clutching a clipboard, either. 2015 Hawks hero DeMarre Carroll is now on the Bucks staff as an assistant, filling in a slot created by the promotion of Charles Lee as Bud’s associate head honcho.

It’s not quite plod-and-trod for Milwaukee (tops in NBA East for Pace last season, 2^nd in their 2020-21 title season; 17^th in the NBA so far this season). But the fervent commitment to playing Antetokounmpo anywhere but the 5-spot, backloading Bobby Portis and Serge Ibaka to fill in the gaps behind Lopez, on what is the eldest team in the league even before Ingles enters the fray, necessitates some abdication of Bud’s pacy, spacy schemes. There is space, only insofar as it involves teammates clearing out in the halfcourt to let the Freak’s flag fly.

Propelled by their second-half blitz (and perhaps by PBO Travis Schlenk warning his charges, “Don’t make me come down there!”, at the half), Atlanta wrapped up their proceedings last night about the time Milwaukee reached halftime a time zone away. Giannis’ near-triple-double (30 points, 1-for-6 3FGs, 14 boards, 9 assists) was enough to stiff-arm New York, but Bud needed his ace on the floor for 39 minutes to seal the 119-108 win.

The Bucks are bound to hurl Jrue, Jevon Carter, Allen and George Hill at Trae Young in waves, expecting better results than the double-team-for-what Detroit defenders gleaned (36 points on 12-for-20 FGs and 8-for-10 FTs, 12 dimes, 1 player TO in a team-high 30 minutes) in last night’s 136-112 Hawks victory.

The Hawks (NBA-high 1.35 points per transition possession; 73.9 transition eFG%, 2^nd in NBA) should apply their relative health and rest advantages at the wing, imploring Dejounte Murray, De’Andre Hunter (18 minutes, 2-for-5 3FGs @ DET after early foul trouble) and rookie AJ Griffin to beat their heavy-legged defenders repeatedly down the floor and prepare for quick scoring opportunities.

The runouts can be sparked by Clint Capela, John Collins and Onyeka Okongwu boxing Lopez and Portis out while securing possessions for the playmaking guards. Atlanta could find itself in good shape if it can demonstrate, on this day, that two Holidays are better than one.

Unlike the Falcons in the NFC South, the Hawks could imagine playing for the top spot in the East by this juncture in their schedule, and they’ve done just enough to earn this opportunity. They’ll face Bud’s Bucks twice more over the next 20 days, but there’s no need to wait for a better or more momentous shot at victory.

A ripe chance is before Atlanta to steal a W from Isconsin and hand Miwaukee their first L. If the Hawks play their cards right, another big outing from Antetokounmpo won’t automatically spell disaster.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[Guest]

Excellent write-up, as always!

I was going to go to the game tonight (I live in Chicago), but I had a PRP injection in my hip a few days ago and walking, up steps no less, is out of the question for a few weeks.  Not a biggie.  Hopefully it works, somewhat long term, and I'll make a game in Chicago later this year.  
It used to be fun, before the Bucks got good recently, when my son and I could drive up to Milwaukee, pay about $100 each, and get seats one row behind the Hawks bench.  Too pricey now.  
Oh well, go Hawks!!

[kg01]

Gonna be a tough one.  Need some playoff-ish intensity.  Certainly need the Murray-led unit to hold the rope,maybe a bit more.  The game could be won in those minutes when Giannis sits buy we still can run an all-star out there. 

[Spud2nique]

56 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

It is BudBall defense where Milwaukee is making its gravy, the tried-and-true “we may not score, but you won’t either!” adage (38.5 FG% vs. NYK, who shot 39.8% last night) that has become a hallmark of Mike Budenholzer-coached squads.

Crazy as it used to be the Pop offense, he’s become defensive Mike, musta been on the beer jokes 

 

57 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

2015 Hawks hero DeMarre Carroll is now on the Bucks staff as an assistant, filling in a slot created by the promotion of Charles Lee as Bud’s associate head honcho.

Oh I love it! Had no clue. Go DMC!!!

 

59 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

and rookie AJ Griffin to beat their heavy-legged defenders repeatedly down the floor and prepare for quick scoring opportunities.

Yes sirrrrr nice showing last night! 

 

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Atlanta could find itself in good shape if it can demonstrate, on this day, that two Holidays are better than one.

 

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

A ripe chance is before Atlanta to steal a W from Isconsin and hand Miwaukee their first L.

After tonight, Lisconsin it is!!! 
 

You da man @lethalweapon3
Always delivering! 
 

Vegas has the Bucks -5.5
 

I’m not gonna lie, it’s a marathon but this is the first big climb! Let’s get it! 
 

GO HAWKS!!!!

[JayBirdHawk]

This should be De'Andre Hunter's game. He'll be matched up vs Jrue or Grayson Allen and should take advantage. He's gotta stop fouling 3pt shooters and rebound.

We've got to do a better job of boxing out, their guards and wings killed us with rebounds.

If the preseason holds to form, Clint will start off defending Giannis.

How Trae handles the defensive pressure from Carter - giving up the ball early on traps etc and being the Maestro will be big.

Portis has given us problems - How do we contain him. JJ and OO has to match his intensity and physicalilty.

[JayBirdHawk]

Is this the game we see some Frank Kaminsky vs Lopez. Just a big body.

[JayBirdHawk]

Need more of this from JJ as his confidence grows.

 

 

[kg01]

3 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Need more of this from JJ as his confidence grows.

 

 

"Man, I wish Ben would just do what that JJ guy did." - all Ben Simmons' teammates 

[Spud2nique]

25 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Need more of this from JJ as his confidence grows.

 

 

Or just flip him and a second for Crowder  

22 minutes ago, kg01 said:

"Man, I wish Ben would just do what that JJ guy did." - all Ben Simmons' teammates 

I don’t get it.

[Spud2nique]

34 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Clint will start off defending Giannis.

 

You better hope that AS…. I mean AVATAR IS MINE! 

35 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

JJ and OO

I want OO to shut down the Freak, but Portis will abuse JJ. Tough.

[kg01]

5 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

I don’t get it.

He's our Ben.  He's doing things they wish Ben would do.  Etc, etc ..  

[Dnice]

Georgia dies so the hawks can live, or something like that. 

[Spud2nique]

32 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Just a big body.

That’s all they are to you huh? Just there for screens and a hug   

Ahhh to be a big body in the NBA, they get treated like big blonde boobie women, EYES UP HERE FELLAS!!!! 

[Spud2nique]

2 minutes ago, kg01 said:

He's our Ben.  He's doing things they wish Ben would do.  Etc, etc ..  

I see. Off day? You and I both know you’re better than that! #aimhigh #playAJ #fckbud

[RedDawg#8]

In before the game to remind everyone that Giannis is universally regarded as a top 3 basketball player on the planet, and arguably regarded to as the best basketball player in the world.

He is off to an amazing start to the season averaging 35, 13 & 6 on 63% shooting.

Just want to be transparent here before we pile on JC and Clint for not being able to defend Giannis 1 on 1.

Nobody in the world can stay in front of Giannis 1 on 1. He is playing like prime Lebron/Shaq right now.

You defend Giannis by showing him a crowd and making him a passer. If he goes off tonight, it’s not on any single player, it will be on Coach Nate or the entire 5-man unit for not executing the gameplan.

That is all. Here’s to a great game tonight. We got this!

[MaceCase]

1 hour ago, RedDawg#8 said:

In before the game to remind everyone that Giannis is universally regarded as a top 3 basketball player on the planet, and arguably regarded to as the best basketball player in the world.

He is off to an amazing start to the season averaging 35, 13 & 6 on 63% shooting.

Just want to be transparent here before we pile on JC and Clint for not being able to defend Giannis 1 on 1.

Nobody in the world can stay in front of Giannis 1 on 1. He is playing like prime Lebron/Shaq right now.

You defend Giannis by showing him a crowd and making him a passer. If he goes off tonight, it’s not on any single player, it will be on Coach Nate or the entire 5-man unit for not executing the gameplan.

That is all. Here’s to a great game tonight. We got this!

I hear what you’re saying but, first layup I see…

[Diesel]

Illegal screen...

My bad... it was personal foul away from the ball. 

 

[Bonkers]

Giannis gets away with offensive fouls almost every time smh

 

Hate his game smh

Edited October 30, 2022 by Bonkers

[Diesel]

What's up with Nique??

 

[nathan2331]

1 minute ago, Diesel said:

Illegal screen...

Giannis hooked Dre on his first dunk too...