5 things Atlanta Hawks need to do to beat Milwaukee Bucks in 7 games in Eastern Conference Finals | 2021 NBA Playoffs
Without superstar Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bucks, who also played without their best player in Giannis Antetokounmpo, dominated Atlanta to grab a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and are one step away from the NBA Finals.
Now, with the series heading back to the Atlanta Hawks' State Farm Arena for Game 6, Young's status is unknown, but some of the Hawks' needs are clear.
Brook Lopez dominated Game 5 in the paint, and the Milwaukee Bucks will surely look for something similar in Game 6, with or without Giannis Antetokounmpo in the opposing team's starting lineup.
Four of the Milwaukee Bucks starters scored at least 20 points, with Khris Middleton and especially Jrue Holiday having big games.
Now, the Atlanta Hawks are facing elimination and their impressive run in the 2021 NBA Playoffs will be on the line in Game 6.
In this article, we will give you five things Nate McMillan's Atlanta Hawks could do to force a Game 7 and eventually win the series and get to the NBA Finals.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#5 Hope for Trae Young's recovery
Of course, the Atlanta Hawks do not control this one, but if Hawks' fans imagine their franchise playing in the NBA Finals, that dream surely starts behind Trae Young's prowess.
Young injured his right foot when he stepped on the foot of an official in Atlanta's Game 3 loss. He missed the last two games and is still recovering from a bone bruise that might keep him out of the upcoming Game 6 (he is listed as questionable for Saturday's game).
The Hawks won Game 1 behind Young's 48-point, 11-assist night and the offense starts purely with him. Young is averaging 32.7 points and six assists per game in the Eastern Conference Finals, but his participation might've come to an end.
#4 Protect the basketball
This one is purely related to the offensive possessions of the Atlanta Hawks in this series. Protecting the ball against a team like the Milwaukee Bucks, which can get out on transition quickly (especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the floor), is definitely an essential trait for a team, even if Antetokounmpo is not playing.
The Atlanta Hawks have 67 turnovers in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Milwaukee Bucks have been slightly better in that area (57). The Hawks were eighth in the NBA among the teams which averaged the least turnovers per game during the regular season (13.2).
In the series against Milwaukee, the Hawks are averaging 13.4 turnovers per game, but their two victories have come in games in which they were below their TO average from the regular season.