Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    Aaron Rodgers Has High Praise for NFC North Rival Quarterback

    May 23, 2022

    Three Packers Veterans Who May Not Make the Roster

    May 23, 2022

    Three Questions Surrounding Wisconsin’s Offense

    May 23, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Aaron Rodgers Has High Praise for NFC North Rival Quarterback
    • Three Packers Veterans Who May Not Make the Roster
    • Three Questions Surrounding Wisconsin’s Offense
    • Brewers: Freddy Peralta Will Miss “Significant” Time; Josh Hader Away Due to Wife’s Pregnancy Complications
    • What Would Be a Successful Season for the 2022 Packers Offense?
    • Allen Lazard Makes First Public Comments About Being Packers #1 Wide Receiver
    • Initial Packers’ 2022 schedule predictions: Weeks 5-8
    • LOOK: Former Vikings QB Installs Packers Urinal In His Home
    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest VKontakte
    WI Sports Heroics
    • About
      • Privacy Policy
    • Sports
      • Packers
        • Green Bay Packers News
        • Green Bay Packers Rumors
      • Bucks
        • Milwaukee Bucks News
        • Milwaukee Bucks Rumors
      • Brewers
        • Milwaukee Brewers News
        • Milwaukee Brewers Rumors
      • Milkmen
        • Milkmen News
        • Milkmen Rumors
      • Badgers
        • Badgers Basketball
        • Badgers Football
      • Marquette
        • Marquette News
        • Marquette Rumors
      • Fantasy Sports
      • Outdoor Sports
    • Podcasts
      • Wickett On Wisconsin
      • Packers Podcast
      • Bucks Podcast
      • Brewers Podcast
      • Badgers Podcast
    • Local Reviews
    • Sponsors
    • Mark Mayfield Booking
    • Shop
    • Contact
    WI Sports Heroics
    Home»Sports»Bucks»Three Takeaways From the Bucks’ Loss to Atlanta
    Bucks

    Three Takeaways From the Bucks’ Loss to Atlanta

    Todd_FBy Todd_FJanuary 17, 2022Updated:January 17, 2022No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks guards Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks.
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The Milwaukee Bucks fell to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, 114-121. The Bucks led the entire game until late in the fourth quarter, when the Hawks went on a lopsided run to ultimately seal the victory. Here are three important takeaways from Milwaukee’s loss.

    #1: Third Quarters Remain Problematic for Milwaukee

    No matter how Milwaukee plays for the rest of the game, they always seem to lose third quarters. There is no clear reason for these woes, but it appears to stem from a lack of focus. Even if the Bucks dominate the first half, sloppy ball handling, poor shot selection, and a general lack of urgency let opposing teams back into games in the second half. Although the Bucks typically score just enough to maintain the lead going into the fourth, these sloppy third quarters open them up to late game losses.

    In games when the Bucks do start to fall behind in the fourth, their sloppy play intensifies. The lack of urgency in the third quickly turns into panic in the fourth. This panic leads to even more sloppy ball handling, poor shot selection, and overly aggressive defense. Ultimately, the Bucks are showing a disturbing lack of the killer instinct they developed in the playoffs last season.

    Tonight was more of the same in this trend. Although the Bucks led by 12 going into halftime, they continually allowed Atlanta to hang around the entire game. This was in spite of Atlanta’s consistently poor shooting and plethora of turnovers. The Hawks gave the Bucks every chance to turn this game into a rout, and the Bucks failed to execute.

    #2: Khris Middleton Remains a Hawks Killer

    Khris Middleton continued his domination of Atlanta tonight, scorching them for 34 points during 35 minutes. At many points, he looked like the same player that led the Bucks to victory in the Eastern Conference Finals after Giannis’s injury last year. Despite this, Middleton contributed to tonight’s loss in many ways. Between sloppy turnovers and errant passes, Middleton surrendered several possessions at various critical points in this game.

    Hawks vs. Bucks score, takeaways: Milwaukee uses team effort in Giannis'  absence for pivotal Game 5 win - CBSSports.com

    There is plenty of blame to go around for tonight’s loss and Middleton’s sloppy ball handling is only a small part of the equation. Still, his errors should remind fans there’s more to the game than just offense. I still believe Middleton is Mr. Clutch in fourth quarters. Regardless, the Bucks can’t afford to have Middleton throwing uncatchable lob passes to Giannis late in close games.

    #3: Donte DiVincenzo’s Lackluster Return

    Although he made several three-point shots tonight, Donte DiVincenzo’s return to basketball remains lackluster at best. DiVincenzo’s inconsistent (and often sloppy) play is frustrating to watch. Despite that, it’s important to remember he hasn’t played much at all since May. I am, therefore, inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. Still, I question whether he’s ready to play this many minutes right now.

    Donte DiVincenzo | Milwaukee Bucks | NBA.com

    Although Rodney Hood has been far from impressive this season, he’s shown signs of improvement overall. Once Jrue Holiday returns from IR, the Bucks should consider giving Hood more minutes along with Matthews while easing Donte back into the mix. I caution fans against joining the “trade Donte” bandwagon at this point, but the Bucks don’t have time to wait for him to shake off the rust.

    In Conclusion…

    Tonight is just another example of the Bucks blowing games in the second half. There is no good reason for Milwaukee to lose this match, and it shows a worrying trend. Whether it’s a championship hangover or a general lack of focus, the Bucks need to do a far better job of maintaining their killer instinct. The NBA is the premier basketball league and home to the world’s best players. No lead is ever truly safe. The Bucks have all the tools to beat any team in the NBA… they just need to maintain their focus for all 48 minutes.

    For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content

    Follow me on Twitter at @BucksinVA and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content.  To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here! Also, check out our merch store for some amazing WSH merchandise!

    Atlanta Hawks Milwaukee Bucks Bucks Donte DiVincenzo Khris Middleton Milwaukee Milwaukee Bucks
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Todd_F
    • Tumblr

    Todd is a Bucks Beat Writer for Wisconsin Sports Heroics. He is the middle of 3 brothers and predominately grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. Todd holds a B.A. and M.A. in History. His interests include history, politics, sports, cooking, and home brewing. Todd currently lives in Fairfax, Virginia, (just outside of Washington, D.C.), but is consistently trying to return to Milwaukee.

    Related Posts

    Season Overview: Bobby Portis Exceeded Expectations in 2022 season

    May 22, 2022

    Two Trade Proposals That Send Deandre Ayton to the Milwaukee Bucks

    May 22, 2022

    Two Trade Proposals That Would Bring Kyrie Irving to the Milwaukee Bucks

    May 19, 2022

    Bucks: Three Position That Need To Addressed This Offseason

    May 19, 2022
    Add A Comment

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Editors Picks

    Brewers: The Ideal Playoff Roster

    September 20, 2021

    MVP Spotlight: Christian Yelich

    April 10, 2020
    Top Reviews
    Advertisement
    Demo
    WI Sports Heroics
    Facebook Twitter
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy
    • Advertisement
    • Contact us
    © 2022 WISportsHeroics All Rights Reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.