Friday, April 30, 2010

Game Preview: Atlanta Hawks (2-3) @ Milwaukee Bucks (3-2)

TIP-OFF: 7pm (EDT)

TELEVISION
: ESPN, Fox Sports South, ESPN3

CHAT: Daily Dime Live

GAME NOTES: Hawks/Bucks

ATLANTA INJURY REPORT: None.

MILWAUKEE INJURY REPORT
: Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd are out.

BY THE NUMBERS

87 games
Poss Off Eff eFG% FT Rate OR% TO%
MIL (off)
90
1.07
48.4 18.3
26.4 14.5
ATL (def)
88.7 1.085 49.7
27.9
27.4
15.5

87 games
Poss Off Eff eFG% FT Rate OR% TO%
MIL (def)
90
1.051
48.6 34.2
24.1 16.6
ATL (off)
88.7 1.133 50.5
21.3
28.4
13.4

Playoffs Poss Off Eff eFG% FT Rate OR% TO%
MIL (off)
86.7
1.124
50.8 19.6
31.2 15.7
ATL (def)
86.7 1.124 50.8
27.3
31.2
15.7

Playoffs Poss Off Eff eFG% FT Rate OR% TO%
MIL (def)
86.9
1.098
49 24.6
31.7 14
ATL (off)
86.9 1.098 49
19.7
31.7
14

FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY: Atlanta -1.5, 189.5 o/u

OTHER PERSPECTIVES
: Bucksketball, Brew Hoop

PREVIOUSLY
...the Milwaukee Bucks got the first road win of the series, beating the Atlanta Hawks 91-87 on Wednesday night in Atlanta.

Quotes, Notes, and Links from Game 5

Recap of Milwaukee's 111-104 victory in Game 4

Quotes, Notes, and Links from Game 4

Recap of Milwaukee's 107-89 blowout win in Game 3

Quotes, Notes, and Links about Game 3

A survey of the first 31 possessions of Game 3

The Hawks won the first two games in Atlanta and, despite the blowout loss in Game 3, maintain both a 2-1 series lead and homecourt advantage.


Recap of Atlanta's 96-86 Game 2 victory on Tuesday night.

Quotes, notes, and links from Game 2 .

How the Atlanta fast break made an impact on Game 2 in words.

How the Atlanta fast break made an impact on Game 2 in motion.


Recap of Atlanta's 102-92 Game 1 win.

Quotes, notes, and links from Game 1.

Video analysis of Game 1.

As for the regular season meeting between the two teams...

The Hawks and Bucks played three times during the regular season. In the first meeting on February 28th in Atlanta, the Hawks beat the Bucks 106-102 in overtime. From the recap:
Sitting through another 18 point fourth quarter (though at least this time against a good defensive team) makes one wonder. One wonders why Josh Smith doesn't attempt a field goal* in the fourth quarter. One wonders why, during a four minute stretch of the fourth quarter when Milwaukee goes to a four-guard lineup meaning either Carlos Delfino or Jerry Stackhouse is guarding Smith, Smith never once touches the ball in the post.

One wonders if it's because Smith and Horford (and, to a lesser extent, Marvin Williams**) are responsible for rebounding, defense, and both creating and finishing transition opportunities so that Johnson, Bibby, and Crawford can play poor defense and take long jump shots (30 field attempts from beyond 16 feet from the troika in the game) with minimal consequences.

*He does go the line four times and turn the ball over twice.

**Williams made three of his five field goal attempts, his only three-point attempt, grabbed eight rebounds (three offensive), and played the aforementioned good defense to slow Salmons. He also opened the fourth quarter by making a 20-foot jumper but never attempted another shot.
The second meeting was in Milwaukee and the Bucks won 98-95 on March 22nd. From the recap:
Skiles' decision to go small neutered Josh Smith's help defense to a greater degree than Smith was able to take advantage of his size advantage in the post. Maybe that was another reason to leave Delfino isolated on Johnson. Letting the Hawks play through Johnson seriously reduced the chance of Atlanta scoring three points on a possession (as long as Delfino didn't commit a silly, relatively unlikely foul) even if it increased the chance Atlanta would score two points on a possession whereas playing through Josh Smith (matched up against Stackhouse in the post) could create open looks from beyond the arc.
The third and final meeting took place on Monday, again in Milwaukee, and the Hawks won 104-96. From the recap:
Kurt Thomas, playing in Bogut's stead, showed that he can still do three things: defend his man in the post, rebound on the defensive end, and set solid screens. The first ability could cause Atlanta problems if the Hawks insist on trying to post up Al Horford against Thomas. Milwaukee had no need to send a second defender to help Thomas. The Hawks never sent a second offensive player to help Horford, leaving the Atlanta center frustrated. As the game progressed and, presumably, the Hawks noticed how much more effective offensively Zaza Pachulia* was when he drew Thomas further away from the basket, Horford was utilized more often in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop sets and was more successful.
Consider this an open thread for all pre-game, in-game, and post-game (but pre-recap) thoughts.

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