After a fairly disappointing loss to the Celtics in their Return to the MECCA game, the Bucks look to regroup in their first afternoon game against the Hawks.
Atlanta Hawks (1-5)
- 43-39 last season, lost in first round of playoffs
- 110-103 against Bucks all-time
- Have knocked the Bucks out of the playoffs twice in the last eight seasons
Offensive Key
In three wins this season, Mirza Teletovic has shot 8-15 from three-point range and averaged 8 points. In two losses, he’s only shot 2-9 from distance with 3 points per game. He’s third on the team in made three pointers per game behind Malcolm Brogdon and Tony Snell (who are both starters), so the Bucks really rely on him to come off the bench and sink about three triples each time. If he can do that or better, the Hawks should have a hard time picking up their second win of the season.
Defensive Key
Defensive Rebounding – In Milwaukee’s three victories this season, they’ve averaged 36 defensive rebounds (and 40 total rebounds). In their two losses, on the other hand, they’ve averaged 29 defensive rebounds (and 34 total rebounds). For reference, the all-time NBA record for most team defensive rebounds per game is 37, and the all-time NBA record for fewest team defensive rebounds per game is 25. In other words, 36 to 29 is a pretty big difference, so if the Bucks can control the boards on the defensive end and limit second-chance opportunities, they’ll put less pressure on their offense and put themselves in a position to win.
Tune in at 2:30 PM CT to see if the Bucks can start the season with a solid 4-2 record!