5 reasons why Atlanta Hawks lost to Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals | 2021 NBA Playoffs
The Milwaukee Bucks were determined to get revenge against the Atlanta Hawks after a narrow loss in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at the Fiserv Forum. Not only did they do that, they also won the game convincingly, beating the Hawks 125-91.
While the first quarter was a close affair, the Atlanta Hawks lost their way in the second quarter, mustering only 17 points compared to the Milwaukee Bucks' 43. Throughout the game, the Hawks never led the game.
It is difficult to pick out a Milwaukee Bucks player who put a foot wrong in this fixture. It looks like the team learned from Game 1 and came out aggressive against an Atlanta Hawks team that looked dead in the water.
Trae Young endured another horrible shooting night and is struggling to stay consistent. Tasked with the responsibility of leading the Hawks to the NBA Finals against a dogged Milwaukee Bucks lineup, he needs to produce every night.
Most of the fourth quarter was played by the reserves, as both teams decided to rest their key players ahead of Game 3. The Milwaukee Bucks controlled the game throughout and led by as many as 41 points late in the third quarter. Cam Reddish made his first appearance in the NBA playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks but struggled to find his footing.
On that note, let's look at five reasons why the Atlanta Hawks were blown out by the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals:
#1 The Atlanta Hawks failed woefully in protecting the ball
Turnovers were the Atlanta Hawks' undoing, with the Milwaukee Bucks in the mood to punish their opponents. Giannis Antetokounmpo unlocked his quarterback ability and was able to find the open Jrue Holiday deep in the opponent's half after every turnover.
The intensity of the Milwaukee Bucks' defense was commendable. Holiday and PJ Tucker realized how lackluster they were in Game 1 and picked up the pace. They registered 14 steals from an Atlanta Hawks side that lacked concentration. Young was out of sorts and was responsible for nine of the team's 14 turnovers in the game.
#2 The Atlanta Hawks' defense could not match the Milwaukee Bucks' offensive pace
The Milwaukee Bucks' offense ran circles around the Atlanta Hawks' defense, with not one Hawks player able to make a stop or make the Bucks uncomfortable. Antetokounmpo made getting to the rim look easy, making several spin moves and uncontested drives through the lane.
The Atlanta Hawks failed collectively to put up any defensive stops in the game. They allowed a lot of uncontested shots on the perimeter and were also punished with transition points. The Milwaukee Bucks scored 27 fast-break points after forcing 14 turnovers.