Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Matchup to Watch
The Atlanta Hawks are mired in a five-game losing streak and the Milwaukee Bucks can pull even with them with a win on Friday. Which matchup could decide the game?
When the Hawks travel to Milwaukee on Friday night, there will be a lot on the line.
The Bucks are red-hot and are now just one game behind the Hawks in the Eastern Conference standings. And with the Hawks having lost five games in a row, this could be a quintessential “let go of the rope” game.
Two teams on opposite trajectories will collide in a contest that could shake up the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Bucks have one 10 of their last 12 games and are young, athletic, and exciting.
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And there is one man in particular that makes them go.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has emerged this season as, potentially, a top-10 player in the NBA and has as dynamic a skill set as anyone in the world. ‘The Greek Freak’ will likely be shadowed by defensive ace Thabo Sefolosha in a matchup that will be very crucial in deciding this game.
Antetokounmpo is an absolutely dominant force on both ends of the floor and his versatility knows no bounds. At 6-11 with a 7-3 wingspan and great ball-handling skills, he has the ability to play all five positions on the floor. Antetokounmpo’s elite ability to get to the rim and use court vision to find open teammates make him almost unguardable.
The 22-year-old has taken the league by storm, by displaying all of his talents, this season. He is averaging 23.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game.
What else could one want in a single player?
A 6-11 point guard that protects the rim and gives the team the versatility to play any lineup combination with him on the floor. That is scary. And Sefolosha will be tasked with guarding the rising superstar.
Sefolosha is a very good-sized wing at 6-7, 220 lbs. and is one of the toughest on-ball defenders in the league. He is very strong and has been great at discouraging great scorers by being right in their face for long periods of time.
But Sefolosha will be at a big athletic disadvantage here.
Antetokounmpo is so long and skilled that it only takes one dribble from deep three-point range for him to get to the rim. His quickness and leaping ability make him nearly impossible to stop inside the arc.
However, if Sefolosha can even remotely slow him down, that could cause the Bucks’ offense to stall badly. Outside of Khris Middleton, the Bucks lack a good secondary scoring option after the injury to Jabari Parker. If the Hawks can make other players beat them, they must like their chances in this game.
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But that is much easier said than done. Antetokounmpo is a talent the NBA has never seen. And the Bucks can beat anyone if he controls the game. No pressure, Thabo.