In a deflating showing at home, the Milwaukee Bucks fell to the Atlanta Hawks, 145-124. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 31 points led things for Milwaukee while Zaccharie Risacher scored a career-high 36 points. Trae Young’s presence was also felt, as he tallied 19 assists.
Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.
What Did We Learn?
Yet again, the cracks are really beginning to show on this Bucks team. After a disappointing loss to the Knicks on Friday night, they followed up with a lethargic showing in this one. The defense simply was non-existent. Atlanta easily dropped in 82 points in the first half, exposing arguably the worst defensive showing the Bucks have put out this season. The transition defense in particular aided much of the troubles for the Bucks. In his postgame presser, Doc said how it was the first time in his career where his team shot 70% at halftime yet they were down double-digits. He called it almost impossible. Despite the strong offensive start, the defensive troubles outweighed things.
Three Observations
Trae Young had his fingerprints all over this one, despite a poor shooting performance.
Young has always given the Bucks fits in his career, and this game was nothing different. While his scoring was off (he’d go just _______ from the floor), he impacted the game with his assists. At the final horn, he had tallied 19 dimes, effectively getting all of his teammates involved in action out on the floor. He’s a superstar in this league and proved it last night. Despite not being able to impact a game as much as he’d like to from a scoring perspective, his vision and decision-making in sharing the basketball tilted things in Atlanta’s favor.
Zaccharrie Risacher frustrated Milwaukee all night long.
You knew the talent is there with Risacher, as he was the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Last night, he exemplified it, as he poured in a career-high 36 points on 12/21 shooting. A bulk of his action came against Kyle Kuzma, who was exploited by the Frenchman numerous times in the contest. Risacher connected five times from deep, with each three twisting the knife a little bit more in the Bucks’ side. This was a performance where you just have to tip your cap.
Kevin Porter Jr. had a strong showing off the bench.
On a night where there were few positives from the Bucks, KPJ’s 28 points was one of the shining lights. In a game where the Bucks were desperately looking for any sparks, he was one of the few players outside of Giannis that was able to provide one. He’d go a crafty 8/12 from the floor, including 3/5 from the perimeter. He also utilized his strength and aggressiveness in getting to the free throw line, a department where he went a perfect 9/9. That’s the activity level that Milwaukee needs from him on a consistent basis.
Bonus Bucks Bits
I’ve been covering the Bucks for nearly ten years. Outside of the Jason Kidd era, I think this is the lowest I’ve seen the team. With Damian Lillard’s uncertainty moving forward, all signs seem to be pointing to another short playoff run.
Nearly all Hawks players scored double digits in this one. The only player who didn’t was Mouhamed Gueye, who finished a point shy at nine. It’s going to be tough to win games when you’re going up against that level of balanced scoring.
Ryan Rollins had some nice bursts. He hit a pair of threes en route to ten points on the evening. However, he was a bit aggressive, as he picked up five personal fouls.
Speaking of aggressive, Andre Jackson Jr. saw some action. In 11 minutes of action, he totaled three rebounds and a point. It’ll be interesting to see if Doc calls his name again on Tuesday to provide a boost of energy.
In yet another game, offensive rebounds killed the Bucks. Atlanta was able to haul in 15 of them on the night. Yikes.
Up Next
The Bucks are now off until Tuesday, which is when their old friend Mike Budenholzer and the Phoenix Suns come to Fiserv Forum. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CST on TNT. You can also stream it on our Playback and YouTube channels.