Milwaukee Bucks: Grades from dominant Game 2 win over Atlanta Hawks

Milwaukee’s right-hand man off the bench has seen his minutes steadily increase in this series after he was an afterthought in the rotation for a large portion of the last round. The big man made good in his nearly 18 minutes last night by totaling eight points, three rebounds, along with an assist, block, and steal each. While his numbers might not jump off the page, particularly as he struggled to find a groove offensively, Portis had the building rocking with the energetic presence he provided after checking in. He also held his own defensively, which has been a topic of discussion for the Bucks previously. Portis gives them a more versatile big man when it comes to switching, and perhaps the team could rely on him more moving forward. His presence seemingly helped ignite a fire beneath this team as Portis made the case once more that he deserves more minutes.. C. Milwaukee Bucks. BOBBY PORTIS. B+

Pat Connaughton was downright awful in Game 1 against the Hawks but bounced back in a big way last night. After missing all four of his 3-point attempts in the opening matchup, the guard went a perfect 3-of-3 from long range in Game 2. He was letting it fly with confidence throughout the night, and he ultimately finished with nine points after his flawless shooting night. The biggest key for him moving forward will be sustaining this 3-point shooting, as the guard can undoubtedly make a positive impact off the bench when he is letting it fly with this type of efficiency. He will not be perfect every night, but he was in Milwaukee’s Game 2 win.. SG. Milwaukee Bucks. PAT CONNAUGHTON. A+

B. Sharpshooter Bryn Forbes is still looking for his rhythm in this series, and he showed flashes of potential in Game 2. The guard finished with eight points but shot just 3-of-7 from the floor, including 2-of-6 from behind the arc. It was far from his best performance, but it was a step in the right direction as the guard tries to get his feet wet. Although his minutes have regressed in this series and its predecessor, the Bucks could unquestionably use that sweet shooting from Forbes in this series. Despite shooting it much better last night as a team, this unit has struggled mightily to hit their 3-pointers in these playoffs. Forbes established himself as one of the most efficient shooters in the league this season, and consistently getting him looks and assuring he stays aggressive in looking for his shot as he did last night will be key.. SG. Milwaukee Bucks. BRYN FORBES

Milwaukee Bucks. END OF THE BENCH . INC. Given Milwaukee’s comfortable lead, the fourth quarter of this game was filled with players who might typically not see the floor, let alone in a playoff game. The two who stood out the most were Jordan Nwora and Elijah Bryant, but it was not in a positive light as they combined to shoot just 2-of-11 from the floor in their limited minutes. Meanwhile, rookie Mamadi Diakite looked solid as he totaled five quick points, and veteran guard Jeff Teague chipped in seven of his own. The ever-energetic Thanasis Antetokounmpo had the crowd cheering with his high-energy all on display, most notably with a thunderous dunk late in the game. Despite the extended playing time, none of these players earned themselves a shot in the genuine rotation, and it is hard to legitimately assess them a grade under these circumstances..