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#3 Stubborn defense
The Atlanta Hawks' solid defense has been the biggest reason why they have been able to make such a deep postseason run in the 2021 NBA playoffs. They have the fourth-best defensive unit among teams playing in the playoffs this year. The Milwaukee Bucks are a lethal side offensively, which the Hawks are equipped to deal with.
Clint Capela is their leader on the defensive end and he has been exceptional for them because of his ability to protect the paint and shot-blocking. It will be crucial against players like Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who are highly effective in attacking the rim. Capela is averaging 12.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in the playoffs so far. During the regular season, he led the league in rebounds (14.3) and was third in blocks per game (2.3).
The Brooklyn Nets suffocated the Milwaukee Bucks on multiple occasions, despite not having someone as impactful as Capela. The Swiss international is also great at communicating with perimeter defenders, which could give the Atlanta Hawks an edge over the Bucks' long-distance shooters.
#2 The Atlanta Hawks are a clutch team
The Atlanta Hawks have been absolutely lethal down the stretch in their last few games. They won Games 4 and 5 of the series against the 76ers despite being 16 and 25 points down, respectively.
All their starters can be effective at both ends of the floor with the match on the line. The last game against the Sixers was the latest example of how composed the Atlanta Hawks are in the dying minutes of the game. They can force turnovers, knock threes and are remarkable with their free-throw shooting.
They are averaging 26.8 points compared to the Bucks' 23.9 points per game in the fourth quarter of the match. They also shoot 44.4% of their field goal attempts, which beats the Bucks' average of 41.8%.
#1 Free-throw shooting
Drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line consistently has been an underrated yet effective aspect of the Atlanta Hawks' offense. With the kind of aggressive defense the Milwaukee Bucks play, the Hawks will likely take advantage of it to get to the charity stripe more frequently.
They are averaging 22 free throw attempts per game, converting 18 of their shots from there in the 2021 NBA playoffs. The Atlanta Hawks will look to get the Bucks' best players in foul trouble early on, something the Nets tried to do during their Eastern Conference semi-final series.
If the Bucks stars do end up accumulating more fouls, it will likely disrupt their rotation strategy, giving the Atlanta Hawks the exposure to capitalize on their absence from the floor.
Guess the Lakers players!
