Bucks Zone

The 3 key takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks' loss to the Atlanta Hawks

The Bucks lost their second straight game, as they fell to the Atlanta Hawks.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks suffered their second straight defeat as they lost to the Atlanta Hawks, despite Giannis Antetokounmpo's return to the lineup after missing two straight games. The Hawks now hold a 2-1 lead in the season series against the Bucks who no longer have the best record in the Association.

Giannis Antetokounmpo returns

The Bucks vastly missed the presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo in their last two games. The 'Greek Freak' sat out those games due to a knee injury, but he returned to the lineup to face the Hawks.

However, after missing a week of basketball, Giannis appeared rusty. He still finished with 27 points and 8 rebounds, but it took him 21 shots to get there. He also missed 7 free throws and fouled out of the game late in the fourth quarter when the Bucks were looking to make a comeback.

The 'Greek Freak' has started the season in spectacular fashion, and this was probably his worst game of the season. He has averaged 31.2 points and 11.8 rebounds on 51% shooting so far, so the superstar will be keen to bounce back against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the next game.

3-point shooting is becoming a problem

The Bucks have lost three games this season, and they struggled from distance in all of those games. This game was no different as the Bucks struggled with the three-ball, shooting only 6-29 from three. They couldn't hit their shots consistently as the Hawks built a massive lead.

This has been a point of concern for the Bucks all season long -- they rank in the bottom half of the league in terms of three-point shooting percentage. Hopefully, once the Bucks are at full strength, they can fix this issue. Khris Middleton will definitely help with that.

Injuries are starting to pile up

The Bucks already had five players out due to injury. Khris Middleton, Joe Ingles, and Pat Connaughton are yet to play a game this season. AJ Green and Jrue Holiday recently suffered injuries and are yet to return. Even Giannis, who is as durable as they come, has missed a few games this season.

This game compounded their troubles as Grayson Allen, and Wesley Matthews left the game with injuries. Giannis also had a scare as he tweaked his ankle, but he stayed in the game. The bench has started to get empty, and the Bucks will hope they can have a few players return soon to deepen their rotation.

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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.