Milwaukee Bucks: 3 questions before facing off against Atlanta Hawks
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks will finish off their lengthy five-game road trip today with a matinee game against the Atlanta Hawks.
Of course, this is a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, where the Bucks overthrew the Hawks in six games to reach the NBA Finals. Both teams look somewhat different compared to their last meeting, and each of them are off to slow starts this year. The Bucks are 6-7 on the season as they continue to navigate through roster issues, while the Hawks are 4-9. This will be an important matchup for both teams as they look to get back in the win column, and here are a few big questions that will be important throughout the game.
Can the undersized Milwaukee Bucks survive against an Atlanta Hawks team that is great at rebounding?
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis have all missed time this season, which has taken a toll on Milwaukee’s rebounding ability. With Lopez having only appeared in one game this year, the Bucks have often been forced to utilize undersized lineups, and the opposing teams continue to take advantage of on a nightly basis. Milwaukee’s opponents are currently averaging a troublesome 46.9 rebounds per game, the 23rd-highest mark in the league. That spells trouble for the Bucks against this Hawks team.
The Hawks are currently averaging the ninth most rebounds in the league with 46.4 per contest as they have a pair of formidable rebounders down low. Clint Capela, last season’s rebounds leader, is among the best big men on the boards in today’s NBA. In addition to the 6-foot-10 Capela, Atlanta has John Collins in the frontcourt, who has also been a force on the glass this year. Without Lopez, the Bucks will have their struggles containing these two, heightening the importance of Portis and Antetokounmpo tenfold.
In Milwaukee’s most recent game against the Boston Celtics, they were outrebounded 53-39 and outscored in the paint 62-42. Now, to be fair, the Bucks were without Antetokounmpo in this one in addition to Lopez. Portis was practically the only big man that played, and he could not hold off this onslaught by himself. Still, with Antetokounmpo nursing an ankle sprain, his status heading into tonight’s game remains unclear. Whether he plays or not, the Bucks will have to emphasize keeping the Hawks off the glass, particularly offensively, to give themselves a chance of winning.