Giannis Antetokounmpo and the undefeated Milwaukee Bucks battle it out with Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks at 8:15 PM EST today at State Farm Arena in ATL.
Confirmed Pre-Game Injury Report:
ATL: OUT: Bogdan Bogdanovic (Knee). QUESTIONABLE: Trae Young (Shin).
MIL: OUT: Patt Connaughton (Calf), Khris Middleton (Wrist), Joe Ingles (Knee).
PROBABLE: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Knee).
The Hawks hope to carry Friday's momentum into tonight, where they hope to unseat the undefeated Bucks. With Trae Young listed as questionable tonight, Hawks fans are curious to see what the offensive scheme may be to achieve success against the Bucks without their star point guard. It is seeming more and more like this will be a game time decision and will heavily impact the outcome of the game. So far this season, Atlanta has been very reliant on Young both to score as well as create opportunities for others. With Young averaging 28.2 PPG with an incredible 9.4 assists per night, this will be a true test for Atlanta as they may be playing without their best player. However, expectations for Dejounte Murray to have another breakout night are high as he will have an increased workload this game regardless of whether Trae plays or not. With important players potentially out of this game on both sides, this game may just come down to whoever comes out healthier and motivated.
3 Keys For a Hawks Win
1) Atlanta needs to pick up right where they left off on Friday on the defensive end. The Hawks tallied 12 steals and 8 blocks when they counted most to win a game where the team shot 25% from three-point range. This effort needs to be replicated in the paint versus a hungry Bucks team. More specifically, the defensive focus must stay on Giannis Antetokounmpo (32.6 PPG) as he continues to search for dominance in the paint. With improved shot blocking from John Collins this year as well as strong defensive anchors such as Capela and Okongwu, the Hawks need to be able to keep strong bodies in between Giannis and the rim.
2) Atlanta must improve the three-point shooting if they hope to be able to keep up with the Bucks today. As mentioned earlier, the Hawks shot a poor 25% from three on Friday. This effort must be improved in order to come away with a win at home today. With veteran presence Bogdan Bogdanovic still sidelined, the Hawks three-point shooting has been mediocre so far this season, ranking 19th out of all 30 teams in three-point percentage with a below average 34.4% rate from downtown. Regardless, Atlanta NEEDS to be able to knock down open shots when they have them.
3) Rebounding is going to be a crucial factor for the Atlanta Hawks today. Coming off a dominant game in the paint tallying 19 rebounds, Clint Capela is going to need to stay active on both the offensive and defensive glass to ensure the Hawks can stay in this game. With important rebounding contributions from John Collins as well as the triple double threat of Dejounte Murray, the Hawks have the tools required to swarm the paint and not allow for many second chance opportunities for Milwaukee. Milwaukee currently leads the NBA in rebounds with an impressive 60.3 per game so this will be no easy task. However, keeping the rebounding battle physical and competitive is a major priority for Atlanta if they hope to win at home.
Game Odds:
Milwaukee -170, Atlanta +145 (Official as of 5:27 PM EST, 11/7/2022)
Don't forget to follow along the game on my twitter @HawksDistrcit as well as @BucksDistrict for in-game updates as well as live reactions
Lmao you were spot on with the Hawks key to W