Bucks Zone

Game day preview and injury report: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Atlanta Hawks

The Bucks begin their home stand with a game against the Atlanta Hawks.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee BucksAtlanta Hawks

The Milwaukee Bucks return home after a three-game road trip resulting in their first two losses of the season. Their last game was against the San Antonio Spurs, where they were blown out of the game. Now they face off against the Atlanta Hawks for the third time this season. The two teams have split a game each, and the winner of this game can take the lead in the season series.

Preview 

The Bucks return home after a disappointing loss in San Antonio. They were on the back foot from the start, and they tried to keep up with the Spurs. But the problems they had been facing all season long showed up, and the Spurs blew them away. Despite this loss, the Bucks still have the best record in the NBA, being the favorites to win it all. 

The Bucks struggled in the last two games as both Jrue Holiday, and Giannis Antetokounmpo were out. Giannis has been the best player in the league, and he is currently leading the MVP charts. His absence has caused the Bucks' offense to halt, and they will hope to have the two-time MVP back for this game. He has averaged 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on over 54% shooting. The Bucks vastly missed him, alongside Holiday in the last two games.

Meanwhile, the Hawks are coming off a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, being outplayed from the start, and they will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the last game. In the previous matchup between the Hawks and the Bucks, Trae Young was out, but tonight DeJounte Murray will have his backcourt mate in the lineup.

Injury Report

The usual suspects are out of the Bucks as Khris Middleton, Pat Connaughton, and Joe Ingles continue to recover from their injuries. Meanwhile, AJ Green has not cleared the tests and will miss another.

There is little hope that Giannis may return to the starting lineup, but nothing is confirmed, as both he and Jrue have been listed as probable for tonight.

On the Hawks side, Bogdan Bogdanovic is set to miss the game due to a knee injury, while the backup center Onyeka Okongwu is listed as day-to-day.

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.