Game Thread: Birds & Bucks Battle for 1st Place

[Jamaaliver]

Hawks face first major test in undefeated Bucks



The Atlanta Hawks so far through the first two weeks of the season are 4-1 with their only loss coming to the team that they beat in the Play-In Tournament last season, the Charlotte Hornets. Also, all four of their wins have come over three of the teams that picked in the top five of the 2022 NBA Draft.

This game will be the first true test for the new-look Hawks, as they play the 4-0 Milwaukee Bucks, featuring who many people believe is the game’s best player in two-time league MVP and 2021 Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is currently averaging a mere 34.5 points, 13.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.

The Bucks also feature Jrue Holiday (14 points, 5.3 rebounds, seven assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game), Bobby Portis (14 points, 10.3 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game) and Brook Lopez (11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and four blocks per game). Led by a former Defensive Player of the Year in Giannis, Milwaukee is the best rebounding team in the league with 52.3 rebounds per game and is allowing the fewest points, allowing only 100 points per game.

For the Hawks, the new backcourt of Trae Young (29.4 points and 10.6 assists per game) and Dejounte Murray (19.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 2.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game) has worked out incredibly well at this point early in the season.

The Bucks will almost certainly test the Hawks in terms of physical and mental toughness with their physical prowess and defensive intensity. How they come out of this game looking could be a major tell where the Hawks are as a team and how they need to improve. Also, seeing two MVP candidates in Young and Antetokounmpo play each other should be fun for die-hard fans of both teams.

Peachtree Hoops

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[Jamaaliver]

Words from Wisconsin --

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[HMFFL]

Trae is having a great game so far. Very productive early on.

Lead us young fella.

Sent from my SM-N975U using RealGM mobile app

[Jamaaliver]

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[atlantabbq99]

Trae be ballin!..... but i don't know why Collins always looks like a scrub against the bucks. He is only averaging 8pts in the last two seasons against the bucks

[Jamaaliver]

... but i don't know why Collins always looks like a scrub against the bucks. He is only averaging 8pts in the last two seasons against the bucks

Collins struggles greatly against height and length...two things Bucks front line has in spades.

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Spoiler:

[Jamaaliver]

Stuff of legend. Trae finally has a supporting cast comparable to Giannis's.

Now he just needs a better coach to unlock his true potential.

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[atlantabbq99]

... but i don't know why Collins always looks like a scrub against the bucks. He is only averaging 8pts in the last two seasons against the bucks

Collins struggles greatly against height and length...two things Bucks front line has in spades.

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Spoiler:

Well that doesn't explain his 3pt shooting. Its the NBA, there are always going to be guys taller than you. Usually when a guy is taller than you, you just take more jumpshots and 3s to impact the game. Just like what Horford use to do to Dwight back in the day, or what Millsap would do to basically everybody he faced.

We all keep waiting for Collins to turn into that Kemp or Amare level type of all star that can pair with Trae, but his ceiling is more of a solid 4th option like a KMart, McDyess, or PJ Brown.

[D21]

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It's not only Collins length here, if could be further on it's right sooner, and more in the path of Giannis.
Certainly harder to defend on Giannis attacking the rim than on Embiid (slower), but they can try to defend a bit like on Embiid in 2020 playoffs, being more in front of him and a chance to force him to do a charge foul

[Jamaaliver]

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