Bucks and Hawks Riding Hot Streaks After Slow Starts

The Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks are both enjoying impressive runs of form as they gear up for a clash on Wednesday night. Both teams, after overcoming early-season struggles, are now finding their rhythm and climbing the standings.

Milwaukee Bucks: Gaining Momentum

The Bucks head into Wednesday’s matchup fresh off a dominant 128-107 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. The win secured Milwaukee’s perfect 4-0 record in the NBA In-Season Tournament, earning them a spot in the quarterfinals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was unstoppable, scoring 28 points on an efficient 10-of-11 shooting from the free-throw line, while also contributing eight assists and seven rebounds. His co-star, Damian Lillard, added 27 points and five assists to seal the win.

“It’s great—they put a tournament in front of us, and we want to win it,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said. “We’re 4-0, but there’s still work to do.”

The Bucks have now won seven consecutive games and nine of their last ten, a significant turnaround after a shaky 2-8 start to the season. Their hot streak has propelled them into the NBA Cup quarterfinals, where they will face the Orlando Magic next Tuesday.

Atlanta Hawks: A Balanced Attack

The Atlanta Hawks have also found their footing, riding a four-game winning streak into Wednesday’s game. Their latest victory was a 124-112 win at home over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, bringing their season record to an even .500.

In that game, De’Andre Hunter led the Hawks with 22 points off the bench. Impressively, all nine players who saw action scored at least eight points, with seven reaching double figures.

“We have a lot of players who didn’t shoot well tonight, but we played through it,” Hawks head coach Quin Snyder remarked. “It’s tough; there’s a natural tendency to get frustrated, but we stayed resilient, and that’s crucial.”

Key Players to Watch

For Atlanta, Trae Young has been the team’s primary offensive force, averaging 20.9 points and an NBA-best 12.2 assists per game. Meanwhile, Jalen Johnson is contributing 20.0 points and leading the team with 9.8 rebounds per game. Notably, the Hawks have eight players averaging double figures, showcasing their depth.

On the Bucks side, Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the NBA in scoring, averaging 32.7 points per game, along with a team-high 11.7 rebounds. Damian Lillard contributes 7.6 assists, while Brook Lopez anchors the defence with 2.4 blocks per game.

Injury Updates

The Bucks were without MarJon Beauchamp (hamstring) and Khris Middleton (ankle) on Tuesday. Middleton, who has yet to play this season, remains sidelined, and Milwaukee has yet to update his status for Wednesday’s game.

For the Hawks, Trae Young is expected to play despite dealing with right Achilles tendonitis. Cody Zeller (for personal reasons) is out.

The Bucks and Hawks have a nearly even all-time series, with Milwaukee holding a slim 119-117 lead. Recent matchups have been tightly contested, with the Bucks winning two of three games last season. In the 2022-23 season, the teams split their four-game series, and in 2021-22, Atlanta claimed two out of three games.

Wednesday’s game will be the first of four meetings between these Eastern Conference rivals this season. The teams will face off again on February 7 and March 4 in Atlanta, followed by a final matchup on March 30 in Milwaukee.

Both teams are eager to continue their strong form, and Wednesday’s game promises to be a thrilling contest