Takeaways From Atlanta's 122-113 Loss to Milwaukee

It was a great homestand for Atlanta, but it ended with a dud last night against the Milwaukee Bucks. Atlanta could not find a way to defend Giannis Antetokounmpo and the offense went cold in the second quarter, allowing Milwaukee to build a comfortable lead. The Hawks also had an opportunity to be tied with the Chicago Bulls for the No. 9 spot and be only four games back of Philadelphia for the No. 8 spot. 

So what are the key takeaways from last night?

1. Due to being shorthanded, Atlanta had no answers for Giannis...

Look, there are no answers for guarding Giannis, he is one of the most unguardable players in NBA history due to his size, length, and athleticism, but it helps if you are a healthy team with plenty of bodies to throw at him. The Hawks had Clint Capela but were missing Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu, meaning they were going to be limited in how they were able to guard Giannis. 

Giannis was 12-22 from the field and was able to drive to the basket and get the foul calls. While he is not the best free throw shooter, Giannis made it count last night, going 12-16 at the line. He controlled the game last night and the Hawks had zero answers for him. 

2. The Second Quarter Sunk the Hawks...

The Hawks' offense got going eventually, but they were stuck in the second quarter and could not find a rhythm. Milwaukee outscored Atlanta 26-17 in the quarter and the Hawks were 0-7 from three, as well as 6-23 from the field. Milwaukee got the halftime lead to 14 points and the Hawks could not overcome it, despite their best efforts in the second half. There were a lot of things that went wrong for the Hawks last night, but the second quarter was among the biggest reasons. 

3. Monday's game is pretty big for Atlanta...

Whether the Hawks won last night or not, the game against the Bulls on Monday was going to be huge for the NBA play-in race in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta's recent winning streak and the Bull's recent losing streak have put the Hawks only one game behind Chicago for the No. 9 spot, which is a big deal because it would mean that Atlanta would not have to play two road games in the play-in tournament. The Hawks can tie the Bulls on Monday, but a loss would put Atlanta two games behind and likely cement the Hawks in the No. 10 spot.