Milwaukee Bucks: Crucial keys to victory vs. the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1
By Dalton Sell
Following a pair of thrilling second round matchups, the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks are set to square off tonight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The first two games in this series will tip-off at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee as the Bucks hold homecourt advantage in their favor. Setting the tone on their home floor from the jump will be crucial in this series and the Bucks have a shot to assert themselves tonight. Although they are the betting favorites in this series for many, this Atlanta team is not to be overlooked in the slightest regard.
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After all, the Hawks have been on a tear in these playoffs by beating the revamped New York Knicks in five games during the first round, then overthrowing the East’s top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in a Game 7 thriller over the weekend. This Atlanta team has established some momentum heading into this series, and they are a formidable foe.
With all that being said, here are three keys to victory for the Bucks in tonight’s Game 1 action.
The Milwaukee Bucks be careful with the basketball in Game 1 versus the Atlanta Hawks
It is no secret that the Bucks have been somewhat careless with the basketball since the postseason began.
Among the 16 teams that qualified for the playoffs this season, Milwaukee holds the third-highest turnover average with 13.6 per game. They have grown prone to causing self-inflicted errors offensively, and it has come back to bite them on multiple occasions. This nasty habit has also hindered Milwaukee’s offense from finding a consistent groove as they are yet to become the Bucks that looked like a force on the offensive end during the regular season.
Not only must the Bucks control the basketball to establish an offensive identity, but this Hawks team will make them pay if they get the chance. According to NBA.com/stats, Atlanta ranked sixth in points off turnovers during the playoffs by putting up 14.6 per game. They have taken advantage of their opponent’s mistakes across their 12 games played thus far, and they will look to inflict the same damage against the Bucks in this series.
It goes without saying that Milwaukee must look to take better care of the basketball, that is obviously a given. Still, it is only heightened in this series as it could come back to haunt them if they can not clean up their act offensively.