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The defending NBA champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, are traveling to Atlanta to take on the Atlanta Hawks in this rematch of last season's Eastern Conference Finals.
The Milwaukee Bucks have had a slow start to the season by their standards. They sit fourth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 27-18 record. They have won five of their last 10 games and are just two games behind leaders the Chicago Bulls and will be hoping to close that gap.
Home court advantage is crucial for a team with championship aspirations and the Bucks will look to secure that by finishing in the top four.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks, for all the highs of last season, have suffered a disappointing campaign thus far. They sit 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 17-25 record and are five games behind eighth seed the Toronto Raptors.
The Hawks are on a five-game losing streak and will be looking to end that run against the Bucks. They have added incentive to exact revenge on the team that defeated them in the Eastern Conference Finals last year.
Match Details
Fixture: Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Monday, January 17th; 6 PM ET (Tuesday, January 18th; 4:30 AM).
Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The defending champions have yet to truly and consistently play like the best team in the league thus far and will be hoping to hit form as soon as possible. The Bucks, like the rest of the NBA, have had to deal with a lot of absences throughout the season. That has really sucked up the momentum from the team.
The Milwaukee Bucks possess the firepower to beat any team on any given day and can lock down opposition defensively, as they comprise of players who are excellent on both ends of the floor. They are the closest thing to a complete team at the moment in the NBA given the way their roster has been assembled.
With aspirations to repeat as champions, the Bucks will be hoping to keep all their players fit for the rest of the campaign.
Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is widely considered to be the best player in the world at the moment. He is not only an unstoppable force offensively but is also one of the best players in the league defensively that can seemingly guard all five positions.
The Greek Freak is currently averaging 28.5 points, 11.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting the ball better nearly 54% from the field and a over 28% from beyond the arc. He is also shooting over 71% from the free throw line this season.
The reigning NBA Finals MVP is having a stellar season for the Milwaukee Bucks in the absence of many of teammates. As a frontrunner for the MVP award this season, Antetokounmpo will look to push the Bucks higher up the Eastern Conference standings.
Atlanta Hawks Preview
Describing the season to date for the Hawks as disappointing would be an understatement. After reaching the Eastern Conference finals last season by beating a powerhouse in the Philadelphia 76ers, the Hawks were supposed to kick on and build from that moment on.
But that hasn't happened as the Atlanta Hawks have looked a shadow of their former selves and are languishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. They can take solace from the fact that they beat the Bucks in the first meeting of the season in November last year.
The Atlanta Hawks are only a couple of games away from the play-in spot. It seems like their best way into the postseason this year. The Hawks could be a tough prospect to beat in that play-in tournament as they have the firepower to beat any side on their day.
Key Player - Trae Young
Trae Young continues to light up the NBA with his trickey and ball-handling skills. He is one of the best guards in the league that would have been in the MVP conversation if the team had a better record.
Young is currently averaging 27.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 9.3 assists while shooting the ball better than 45% from the field and higher than 36% from the perimeter,.
What makes him a tough prospect in guarding is his small frame along with his speed and control over the ball. Young's floaters are a treat to watch and very effective as well.
Trae Young's long range shooting is also a lethal weapon and has been compared to the ultimate marksman, Steph Curry. In just his fourth season in the league, Young is carrying the Atlanta Hawks franchise on his back, which has resulted in him recording 19 double-doubles this season.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks: Predicted Lineups
Milwaukee Bucks
Point Guard - Grayson Allen, Shooting Guard - George Hill, Small Foward - Khris Middleton, Power Forward - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Center - Bobby Portis
Atlanta Hawks
Point Guard - Trae Young, Shooting Guard - Kevin Huerter, Small Foward - De'Andre Hunter, Power Forward - John Collins, Center - Onyeka Okongwu
Bucks vs Hawks Match Prediction
Both teams are coming into this game on the back of a loss so confidence is going to be short for the Milwaukee Bucks as well as the Atlanta Hawks. On paper, the Bucks are clearly the better side and playing better basketball at the moment. However, the Hawks will have revenge on their minds and we could see them defend their home court against the defending champions.
Where to watch Bucks vs Hawks?
You can watch the action unfold between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks on the NBA League Pass. The game will also be broadcast locally on BSWI and nationally on TNT.
Guess the Lakers players!
