'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwT/2gAIAQEAAAAAmD//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAAA//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAEDEAAAAEv/xAAfEAACAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwEEBQYABxESIWH/2gAIAQEAAT8A27XcFX23XKiibAZtFdfhYiXB2M5D4QyPLvQk3XHsHOviDMi9kRc//8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAxH/2gAIAQIBAT8AFhVRk//EABoRAAEFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIAAQQREkH/2gAIAQMBAT8Aljoht+L/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Milwaukee Bucks took back the home court advantage from the Atlanta Hawks by winning 113-102 in Game 3 on Sunday at State Farm Arena. The Bucks lead the Hawks 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, thanks to a spectacular game by Khris Middleton.
Middleton tied his playoff career-high with 38 points and carried his team during the fourth quarter with a deluge of threes and two-pointers. Though the Atlanta Hawks led by as many as 15 points in the first half, the forward took charge of the Milwaukee Bucks’ comeback.
The Atlanta Hawks were led by Trae Young, who recorded 35 points while Danilo Gallinari had 18 points off the bench.
Here are 5 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks won against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3:
#1 Milwaukee Bucks ruled the paint
Recognizing their size advantage over their smallish opponents, the Milwaukee Bucks took control of the shaded lane to overpower the Atlanta Hawks. Led by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s attacks, the Bucks outscored the Hawks 56-34 in the paint.
They also took control of the boards with a huge 50-35 advantage, 15 of which came on the offensive glass.
#2 Khris Middleton heated up in the fourth quarter
Khris Middleton was on fire in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points in two minutes to give the Milwaukee Bucks a 3-point lead with 5:13 left in the game. Middleton's terrific shooting broke the game wide open as he scored 20 points in the quarter.
He outscored the entire Atlanta Hawks squad in the fourth after scoring just 15 points each in Games 1 and 2. Aside from the 38 points, Middleton also contributed 11 rebounds and seven assists.
#3 Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated his matchups
After a tentative first quarter, Antetokounmpo slowly eased his way into the scoring column. He put his combination of strength, speed, quickness and length to work over the Atlanta Hawks' Clint Capela, John Collins and Danilo Gallinari.
Antetokounmpo was spinning, dunking and finger-rolling his way to the rim from the second quarter. There was no stopping him except by sending him to the line, where he was 6-of-13.
The Atlanta Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu had a bit of success guarding him in the fourth quarter. But his contributions weren’t enough to prevent a Milwaukee Bucks win. The Greek Freak recorded 33 points and 11 boards for his second double-double of the series.
#4 Fourth-quarter defense on Atlanta Hawks
After being outscored by the Atlanta Hawks in two of the previous three quarters, the Milwaukee Bucks used a suffocating defense in the fourth quarter to put the game away. Jrue Holiday had a poor shooting night, but he made up for it with a stellar defense on the perimeter (two steals and two blocks total), along with Pat Connaughton.
Antetokounmpo, Middleton and P.J. Tucker controlled the paint and contested almost every shot that the Atlanta Hawks put up. The Hawks scored just 17 points and shot 46.4 percent overall from the field after making more than 50 percent of their shots most of the night.
When the Bucks play championship defense in this manner, it’s incredibly difficult to stop them.
#5 Trae Young twisted his ankle
With less than a minute to go in the third quarter, Trae Young tweaked his ankle after stepping on a referee’s foot. He went down and exited the playing area to get treatment. Young was simply not the same player in the fourth quarter.
Young scored just three points in the fourth after scoring 32 through three quarters. Credit should go to the Milwaukee Bucks for winning the game, but one wonders what might have happened if the Atlanta Hawks guard hadn’t twisted his ankle. There’s a chance that the Hawks, who led by two points heading into the fourth, could have won.
Also Read: 5 players New Orleans Pelicans could pursue if Lonzo Ball leaves in 2021 NBA off-season
