The Atlanta Hawks have become one of, if not THE, hottest team in the NBA, following their 119-104 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night. The Hawks extended their winning streak to five games, and added another win over a top-tier Eastern Conference opponent.
Atlanta used a strong first-half, which saw them score 70 points, to pace themselves to a comfortable 15-point win on the road in a hostile environment. Another strong bench performance, propelled the Hawks, outscoring the Bucks’ bench, 50-31.
De’Andre Hunter was stellar again, leaning into his new-found sixth man role. He finished with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting, adding in 5 rebounds and three steals, to highlight another great defensive effort. Bogdan Bogdanovic, who seems to be finding his footing following early season injuries, ended up with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 26 minutes. He also chipped in 5 steals, to lead all Hawks’ players. Last but not least, was Onyeka Okongwu who added 13 points, 6 rebounds and another 2 steals.
Atlanta’s starters were led by rising-star, Jalen Johnson, who finished with a high-octane double-double, of 23 points and 13 rebounds. He also tallied 5 assists and two steals. Trae Young added in 17, on rough shooting night, that saw him go 0-of-9 from three and 6-of-19 overall.
The Bucks were led by their star players, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, who finished with 31 and 25 points, respectively.
Atlanta will test their winning streak against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers at State Farm Arena Friday night.
