Milwaukee Bucks: Grades from brutal Game 1 loss to Atlanta Hawks

PG. Milwaukee Bucks. JRUE HOLIDAY. A-. This might have been Jrue Holiday’s best game in a Bucks uniform. Many will point to Trae Young’s stellar outing and point the finger at Holiday for letting that train run wild, but it was not entirely his fault by any stretch. Meanwhile, the guard did everything possible to will this team to victory by scoring 33 points on 56 percent shooting from the floor, including 41.7 percent from deep. He was scoring the basketball at will, and it was particularly nice to see some 3-pointers drop for him after a terrible seven-game stretch against the Nets. Also tallying 10 assists, four rebounds, two steals, and a single blocked shot, Holiday was doing everything last night in the loss. He’ll have to clamp down on Young more often next game, but he was still solid in Game 1.

F. On the other side of the spectrum was Khris Middleton, who had yet another horrific playoff showing in last night’s Game 1. Middleton finished with 15 points on 6-of-23 shooting from the field, including 0-of-9 from behind the arc. The last triple heaved from Middleton was a miss that would have sent the game into overtime, but he could not deliver. Middleton continues having these Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde performances in the postseason where he will be sensational in one game only to disappear completely in the following matchup. The Bucks win Game 1 in all likelihood if Middleton even has a pulse offensively, but that was far from the case last night. Time will tell if he can get it together in Game 2.. SG. Milwaukee Bucks. KHRIS MIDDLETON

Milwaukee Bucks. P.J. TUCKER. B-. P.J. Tucker has been promoted into the starting lineup because of his persistent defense and endless hustle. Both of those were on display in last night’s contest from start to finish, particularly on the glass. Tucker hauled in seven rebounds against the Hawks, three of which were on the offensive end as he helped give the Bucks extra opportunities to try and put extra points on the board. He also scored four points of his own and handed out two assists. The forward will rarely stuff the stat sheet as his impact cannot often be tallied, but he played his individual role well in Game 1, despite the loss. The Bucks might look to get him more involved defensively heading into Game 2, as that is why they ultimately brought him in.. SF

A-. Giannis Antetokounmpo was on a mission to close this game out for the Bucks. The Greek Freak finished with a team-high 34 points on 56 percent shooting, doing a majority of his damage close to the basket. With Middleton’s contributions minimal and Holiday being the team’s only other source of consistent offense, Antetokounmpo stepped up and took on the extra workload. Furthermore, he was solid from the line by hitting six of his eight attempts from the stripe, which deserves praise. Along with 34 points, the Greek Freak finished with a near triple-double by totaling 12 rebounds and nine assists while also making a massive impact defensively with two steals and two blocks apiece. Overall, Antetokounmpo was great in Game 1, despite the loss that followed.. PF. Milwaukee Bucks. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO

D. This might be a very long series for Brook Lopez if Game 1 is any indication of how things might transpire. Being torched by Trae Young in countless pick-and-rolls, Lopez was pulled from the lineup after 20 minutes played. During that timeframe, the big man finished with seven points on 3-of-7 shooting from the floor, including 1-of-4 from deep. The Bucks missed his hulking defensive and rebounding presence at the rim late in the game as they gave up several crucial offensive rebounds, but it was difficult to keep Lopez on the floor. Time will tell what Lopez’s role in this series will be moving forward, but they will need more from their starting center when he is fortunate enough to see playing time.. C. Milwaukee Bucks. BROOK LOPEZ