Game Thread: Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks – Complete Game Day Info
By David Menze
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 20: Kyle Korver #26 of the Atlanta Hawks goes up for the shot against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 20, 2013 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
With both teams fighting to move up in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, familiar foes Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks square off for the second time in five days.
The Hawks lead the four-game season series 2-0 and look for a sixth win in their last seven overall meetings with Milwaukee.
These two teams most recently played on Wednesday (3/20) in Atlanta with the fifth-seeded Hawks getting the better of the eighth-seeded Bucks 98-90. Al Horford, Josh Smith and Jeff Teague all had stellar double-double performances to lead Atlanta to victory.
Teague tallied 27 points and 11 assists (both game-high’s), Horford had 26 points and 15 rebounds and Smith finished with 12 points and a season-high 16 rebounds.
Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 21 points in that game, but it was Larry Sanders who was the most effective starter for Milwaukee, as he finished with 19 points, 14 boards and four blocks. JJ Redick came off the bench and chipped in with 18 points, six assists and three rebounds.
The Hawks won the first matchup of the season back on February 23, as they escaped Milwaukee with a tough 103-102 victory. Horford converted a baby hook over Sanders with six seconds in regulation to give Atlanta the lead and Monta Ellis missed a shot at the buzzer to clinch the Hawks’ victory.
In both games against Atlanta, Ellis (Milwaukee’s best scorer) had trouble putting the ball in the hoop, as he’s totaled just 19 points on 9-of-29 shooting in the losses. He missed 12 of 14 field-goal attempts and finished with five points on Wednesday.
Teague has been far more efficient in this series for the Hawks, hitting 19-of-34 shots — including six-of-eight from the perimeter — and leading the team with 50 points and 20 assists. Horford has 49 points and 26 rebounds in the two matchups.
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Quick Facts
Who?: Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks
What?: Eastern Conference Showdown (Game #70, Road Game #35)
Where?: BMO Harris Bradley Center (Milwaukee, WI)
When?: Sunday, March 24, 2013 – 3:00 PM (EST)
How?: SportSouth HDTV / 93.7 FM
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Probable Starters
Atlanta Hawks:
PG: Jeff Teague | SG: Devin Harris | SF: Kyle Korver | PF: Josh Smith | C: Al Horford
Milwaukee Bucks
PG: Brandon Jennings | SG: Monta Ellis | SF: Marquis Daniels | PF: Samuel Dalembert | C: Larry Sanders
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Injury/Inactive Players Report
Atlanta Hawks: Zaza Pachulia (sore right Achilles) and Lou Williams (torn right ACL) are out.
Milwaukee Bucks: Ersan Ilyasova (left hip) and Luc Mbah a Moute (sprained toe) are questionable.
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Current Records/Streak & Hot, Lukewarm, or Cold
Records: Atlanta Hawks (38-31) … Milwaukee Bucks (34-34)
Streaks: Atlanta Hawks –> OVERALL: Lost 1 / HOME: Lost 1 / ROAD: Won 1 … Milwaukee Bucks –> OVERALL: Lost 2 / HOME: Won 2 / ROAD: Lost 3
Home/Away Records: Hawks are (16-18) away … Bucks are (18-16) at home.
Atlanta Hawks: Lukewarm. Atlanta is still holding onto the #5 seed and has won four-of-last-six games but dropped two winnable matchups at home against the Mavericks and Trail Blazers.
Milwaukee Bucks: Cold. The Bucks have lost five of their last seven games overall, including a 98-90 defeat to the Hawks in Atlanta on Wednesday and fellow Eastern Conference foe Indiana 102-78 on Friday.
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Season/Past Season Series
Atlanta heads to Milwaukee for the second time in the third-of-four tilts with the Bucks. Atlanta posted a 103-102 road win in the first meeting on Al Horford’s bucket with under six seconds to play. Horford (23 points/11 rebounds) and Josh Smith (15 points/13 boards) each notched a double-double that night and Jeff Teague tallied 23 points and nine assists. Ersan Ilyasova led six Bucks in double-figures with 19 points, while Larry Sanders (12 points/19 boards) and Monta Ellis (14 points/10 assists) had double-doubles. The Hawks took the second game as well, a 98-90 home decision on 3/20. Teague (27 points/11 assists), Horford (26 points/15 rebounds) and Smith (12 points/16 rebounds) all had double-doubles, while Brandon Jennings scored 21 and Larry Sanders had 19 points and 14 boards for the Bucks. The teams will closeout the season series on 4/12 at Philips Arena. Milwaukee leads the all-time series 99-98 (62-33 at home).
LAST MEETING — HAWKS 98, BUCKS 90 — PHILIPS ARENA (ATL, GA) — 3/20/13
A back-and-forth first half, featuring nine lead changes and eight ties, ended with the Hawks holding a 48-43 advantage, as Jeff Teague scored the final five points of the half. Atlanta seized control with a 7-0 run to begin the third and an 11-1 burst to close the stanza for a 77-59 edge heading to the final frame. Milwaukee chipped away at the deficit in the fourth, eventually cutting it to 94-90 with less than one minute to play. Josh Smith and Al Horford then hit two free throws apiece to secure the win for the home team. Teague finished with 27 points (career-high tying 4-5 3FGs) and 11 assists, while Horford (26 points/15 rebounds) and Smith (12 points/season-best 16 boards) also had double-doubles. Devin Harris added 15 points. Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 21 points and Larry Sanders had 19 points and 14 rebounds. Atlanta shot .481 FG% for the night compared to .374 for Milwaukee.
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Common Threads
Zaza Pachulia played in 74 games for Milwaukee in 2004-05. Devin Harris is a Milwaukee native (Wauwatosa East HS). Al Horford’s father Tito played for the Bucks from 1988-90, appearing in 60 games. Jim Boylan was an assistant coach with the Hawks in 2003-04. Kyle Korver and Lou Williams played with Samuel Dalembert in Philadelphia. Dahntay Jones and Mike Dunleavy were teammates at Duke, as well as with the Indiana Pacers. Joel Przybilla suited up for the Hawks in 2003-04 (12 games). Jeff Teague played with Ish Smith at Wake Forest.
Information was used from the Hawks and Bucks official gamenotes