2021 ECF. Bucks vs Hawks: UPDATE - - - BUCKS IN SIX

[pacopete4]

Very nice win. Get this next one so they can end it at home.

[homer]

Man, didn't realize Middleton outscored the Hawks all by himself in the 4th. Outstanding.

[owbc]

Wisconsin sports teams might be known for choking in league championships but that step onto the ref was a “only in Atlanta sports” type of moment.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Trae Young had 0 rebounds in 39 minutes. That's impressive.

[nodakfan17]

I just can’t get used to the Bucks wearing blue.

[jjfanec]

The bucks played pretty poorly for the first 41 minutes of the game. The last 7 they played closer to Friday night. In 4 minutes they went outscored the Hawks by 14. It took the Bucks only playing 4 really good minutes to win this game. That is killer for the Hawks

[DuWayne Steurer]

I think that's oversimplification to a degree. It was 25-10 and the bucks played well enough the rest of the first half to tie the game at half time. There were stretches of game where ATL couldn't stop Giannis at all and didn't do much and took bad shots.

 

I agree that the last 7 minutes was prime "bucks" but I don't agree that they played poorly for the whole of the first 41 minutes.

[Pugger]

You can see these guys trying to actively avoid passing to Giannis. At this point, just take him out of the game. He's a liability at this stage.

 

Was Lopez in the game at the end? He should be in there instead if your opponent is gonna foul instead of Giannis.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I dunno, I thought the Bucks looked pretty good last night save for a few bad stretches that happen in basically every NBA game. They weathered the home team's hot start and pulled it even fairly quickly, then hung around by single digits all night. I felt pretty good the way Middleton was shooting that he could close the gap in the end. Basketball is the only sport where I almost get more anxious with a lead and too much time left than I do with being a few points behind.

 

The Bucks shots weren't falling early in the game and they did a nice job of exploiting the inside to keep it close. I'd let Atlanta run a shooting contest any night. They'll win a game or two but they won't win 4/7.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Also: It would be really nice for downtown if the Bucks could win this at home.

[jjfanec]

I think that's oversimplification to a degree. It was 25-10 and the bucks played well enough the rest of the first half to tie the game at half time. There were stretches of game where ATL couldn't stop Giannis at all and didn't do much and took bad shots.

 

I agree that the last 7 minutes was prime "bucks" but I don't agree that they played poorly for the whole of the first 41 minutes.

 

I think they played awful the first 8 or so minutes and had a nice run in the second quarter but really they were not good the whole 3rd quarter and half of the 4th. It may be better to say they had a really good 7 minute stretch in the first half and an amazing 7 minute stretch in the second. But there was a lot of lazy passing, missing open shots, and poor defense. It really wasnt until the end that they cleaned a lot of that up.

 

It just never felt like they were playing really well until end. it is an oversimplification maybe but I didnt think played well before the end. Looked slow and sloppy outside giannis attacking so well

[owbc]

I thought it was more that the Hawks played really good defense in the 3rd/early 4th quarters. The Bucks couldn’t get any space. Giannis was having trouble getting to the paint. It sucks for them that they played well enough to win until Middleton turned into Michael Jordan.

[sveumrules]

Yeah, gotta think getting up 15 early, being up 7 with 7:30 left in the fourth, shooting 40% from three & still losing by eleven on your home floor has to be pretty demoralizing.

 

At least I hope it is, we'll see if it gives Atlanta a spark or puts the flames almost all the way out Tuesday night.

[MrTPlush]

Well, Game 2 should have been a bit demoralizing and sure didn't seem it played out that way.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Game 2 was over shortly after it started and those laugher games are easier to write off than shooting 50% most of the night and being unable to go up by 7. Most people seemed frustrated with the Bucks last night not getting over the hump, I thought ATL was for the most part playing as well as they could have, with Galllinari hitting fadeaway jumpers, and couldn't get us to go away. Early in the game I was encouraged by Middleton hitting shots, which I thought was a good sign if he had to win the game in the 4th.

 

My gut feeling is the Bucks win this in 5.

[GAME05]

Almost surprising they're not going to Galinari more. Once he's able to get a switch onto Jrue he's able to do about whatever he wants.

 

I've been judging how well the Bucks' defense is playing by how many long 2s Atlanta takes. They can still hit a ton of them, but they're such low-value shots I'm plenty happy to see a lot of them.

[jjfanec]

I thought it was more that the Hawks played really good defense in the 3rd/early 4th quarters. The Bucks couldn’t get any space. Giannis was having trouble getting to the paint. It sucks for them that they played well enough to win until Middleton turned into Michael Jordan.

 

Interesting. That is not how I felt like the 3rd quarter played out. Atlanta's defense wasnt that impressive at all too me. Bucks scored 27 in the 3rd which was right in line with the other 3 quarters, the scored on 12 of 21 possessions which isnt great but ok and when you look at their misses 3 were layups and 3 were open 3s. They also had 2 turnovers that were just awful missed calls - one was a clear foul and the other clearly off the Hawks players foot. It felt like a quarter they could have easily scored 30 plus if they just made open shots.

 

The Bucks were able to get to the rim a lot in the 3rd but Giannis missed a few very makeable layups and they also missed some really good looks from 3.

[Outlander]

To steal a line from Jesus Aguilar, the Hawks know they've got a problem tomorrow.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Trae Young questionable with a bone bruise.

[thebruce44]

Trae Young questionable with a bone bruise.

 

I was really wondering what Trae was going to blame last night's loss on (and eventually the series loss) instead of admitting the better team won. I guess now we know.

[pacopete4]

Trae Young questionable with a bone bruise.

 

Being a hockey guy, these are the things that make it hard for me to follow the NBA. You're in the Conference Finals. How in the world is this even questionable?

[brooks_quichenick]

Trae Young questionable with a bone bruise.

 

Being a hockey guy, these are the things that make it hard for me to follow the NBA. You're in the Conference Finals. How in the world is this even questionable?

 

Questionable means he's going to play. It's hard for you to follow the NBA because of standard injury designations?

[Fear The Chorizo]

If Young isn't lightning quick because of a bum ankle, he's no good and the Bucks walk to the Finals.. Sure he can gut it out and play, but it would be the equivalent of a hockey player not playing with a stick and trying to score a goal.

 

Ankles to undersized NBA guards are like hands to a hitter....if they aren't 100 percent abilities are severely diminished.

[jjfanec]

If Young isn't lightning quick because of a bum ankle, he's no good and the Bucks walk to the Finals.. Sure he can gut it out and play, but it would be the equivalent of a hockey player not playing with a stick and trying to score a goal.

 

Ankles to undersized NBA guards are like hands to a hitter....if they aren't 100 percent abilities are severely diminished.

 

Trae Young's "effort" after he shoots and on defense doesnt make me think he is the kind of guy who has it in him to gut anything out

[DuWayne Steurer]

I personally don't care if he plays, if he doesn't play, if he plays and his hampered by the bum ankle. If the bucks have an easier route to the finals because he stepped on a refs foot, I don't care. Injuries are part of the game. The bucks are playing without DDV basically since the start of the nets series and he has been a starter all season. He's not the equivalent of Kyrie Irving, or harden or Trey Young, I'm just saying injuries are part of the game.

 

It's not even like he can blame one of our guys for following him hard. He stepped out of bounds and stepped on a refs foot.