The Bucks nearly pulled off the inconceivable–a home and home sweep of Eastern Conference power Atlanta Hawks. Fueled by another strong bench performance (56 points) the Bucks were competitive until the very end–a conclusion that saw the Bucks take bad shots, miss good shots, and turn the ball over. The Hawks took advantage of Milwaukee’s late miscues and sealed the game away with 10 points from Jeff Teague (25p/8r/7a) in the last 3:15.
There was no Johnny O’Bryant shooting barrage to open the game, no perfection from Jared Dudley, and no superior effort on this night as the Hawks played strong from the opening tip with an engulfing defense and effective shot selection. Fueled by this noticeable uptick in effort they jumped out to a 13-3 lead forcing a Jason Kidd timeout and changing the Bradley Center buzz to a shell-shocked murmur.
The Bucks would go on to score just 10 points in the entire 1st quarter.
But while the offense stalled the Bucks defense locked it down like the Bellagio. No, seriously. Things were air-tight.
From the 5:20 mark in the 1st quarter to the 7:22 mark in the 2nd the Hawks scored just 2 points. During the (roughly) 10-minute stretch John Henson (5p/5r/5b) swatted away 3 Hawks attempts and anchored a Bucks defense that was without the services of Doc Block for the second straight night.
The Bucks went on to take a 3 point lead on a Jared Dudley (9p/5r/5a) three pointer. But without Henson on the floor to close the second quarter the Hawks, led by Al Horford (20p/9r/4a) were able to penetrate the Bucks defense and get quality looks at the rim.
It’s worth noting that the Hawks grabbed 7 (!!!) offensive rebounds in the second quarter. The problem with offensive rebounds is they almost always end in points. Getting a stop in the NBA is difficult enough–but when you’re giving up offensive rebounds your defense strains (not to mention disheartens) as open 3 point shots, and easy layups become easier.
Rebounding should be priority #1 on the Bucks off-season shopping list. Allowing 17 offensive rebounds won’t get you to championships. Hell, it would get you blown out most nights.
But the Bucks played even with the Hawks through the 4th quarter–even taking a 73-72 lead on a Khris Middleton (21p/5r/1a) jumper. The Bucks would get a steal the next time down the court but Khris Middleton took the fast-break and dribbled the ball off his thigh. Sigh.
Should Middleton score there the Bucks would have claimed a 3 point lead and possibly used that momentum to build a big lead. Instead, Al Horford hit one of those top of the key jumpers he’s so fond of as the Hawks reclaimed the league dousing any potential game winning Milwaukee run.
That’s how quickly things can change in the NBA. Last night’s demolition of Atlanta gave this game the feel of one that was played with house money. The Hawks are, after all, the hottest team in the NBA winning 14 of 16 including the loss against the Bucks last night. So getting at least 1 win against this top team felt like a major victory.
But this was one of those games that the Bucks could have taken–they just needed to reach out and grab it. So while it’s great the Bucks came up with such a big road win last night, the 2 game mini-series will likely leave the Bucks with a nasty taste in their mouths while we all ponder what could have been.
Five Observations
- The Bucks went with the starting five of Marshall, Knight, Antetokounmpo, O’Bryant, and Pachulia again tonight. The interesting thing about this lineup is the usage of Knight at the 2 position. And you know what? I hated it. The strength of Knight’s game is getting to the rim from the top of the key–not as the catch and shoot role he assumes when he’s playing the 2. His tepid stat line of 10 points on 4-12 shooting with a +/- of -28 is what happens when you take a player out of his comfort zone. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jared Dudley re-enter the starting lineup at the 2 which would allow Knight to slide back to the 1.
- The Bucks starting unit was terrible. I know that +/- is a misleading stat but it also can’t be ignored. Tonight the Bucks starters were: -15, -4, -28, -25, and -29. Meanwhile the bench was: +14, +1, +25 (Bayless), +18, and +18. This presents a troubling thought. Aside from Giannis, Knight, and (perhaps) Middleton this team is full of veterans. Veterans should hold a young team afloat–not carry them to glory. Can a player like Jerryd Bayless be on a championship-calibur team? Sure. He’s absolutely good enough. But is he a key player in a championship starting 5? No. The scary notion is that this team is being built like the 8th seeds of Milwaukee Bucks past–with journeyman veterans who are good, but not otherworldly. I hope that’s not the case with this team.
- Giannis is hitting a bit of a sophomore slump. He struggled to score 5 points on 2-5 shooting with 4 turnovers and 4 fouls. The problem with his game right now is that he’s playing limited basketball. What do I mean by that? Basically he’s still only valuable offensively when hes going to the basket and using his length to finish at the rim. But the Hawks took that away from him by simply getting in his way and double teaming his euro-step with Al Horford. You know what would make Giannis better? TAKE THE OPEN JUMPER. Just once, just for a second, just to see how it feels. Even if the shot doesn’t fall at least the defense has to acknowledge it as a threat and that will open things up for Giannis’ penetrating dribble.
- WIth the Bucks up 3 points late in the second quarter during a 3 on 3 fast break Jason Kidd called a timeout. Why? Because a Hawks player had injured himself and was slow to get up. Initially this was confusing but I think I get the message that Kidd wanted his team to take away from the timeout–a win is empty if you’re not getting the opponent’s best shot. This is the sort of thing that can help a young team with their development–learning that nothing is easy.
- Jabari Parker was presented with a “Get well soon, Jabari” banner that was CRAMMED with fan messages wishing him well. He seemed to be in good spirits, but that doesn’t make it any easier seeing him in street clothes every night. Sigh. Get well soon, Jabari, indeed.
Looking Ahead
The Bucks travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets for the third time this season. The Bucks are 0-2 against Charlotte so far, as they haven’t been able to find an answer for Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson. Their last meeting in Milwaukee on Dec. 23rd saw the Bucks take a 2 point halftime lead only to be outscored in the third quarter by ten. If there’s anything we’ve learned about the Hornets this season is that they are as streaky as a team can be. The Bucks will have to play top-level defense for 48 minutes, and avoid offensive slumps. If Ersan Ilyasova and Larry Sanders are available the Bucks should be able to rebound more effectively than they did against the Hawks tonight.
Bango Crossing 