Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways From Win Over Atlanta Hawks

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Mar 24, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) runs into Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the first quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Schooling The Master

As noted in our pregame piece on Bucks v Hawks, Atlanta has been known as a team that moves the ball excellently for some time now. This season, the Hawks assists are predictably down since the team was forced to replace Al Horford with Dwight Howard.

Dwight is a monster rebounder, but he’s not the passer that Horford is. The Bucks average more assists per game than the Hawks do this season, and that bared out when the two teams went head-to-head.

Atlanta recorded 20 assists as a team, where the Bucks managed 27. This is the 23rd time Milwaukee has managed 27 or more assists. When the Bucks get the ball zipping around the floor like that, they’re 18-5. When Milwaukee tallies 28 or more assists, they’re a perfect 15-0.

It’s interesting to see how teams change over time in the NBA. The Hawks are still a good passing team with the 10th-most assists per game among NBA teams, but good is a clear step below elite.

Instead of Atlanta looking like Spurs East, it was the Bucks who had a team full of passers on Friday. Milwaukee had six players record three or more assists, while the Hawks only had three such players.

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