The Atlanta Hawks dropped Game 3 to the Milwaukee Bucks and are now down 2-1 in the series. They weren't the same team after Trae Young injured his ankle toward the end of the third quarter.
The Hawks will have to make adjustments as they head into Game 4.
Bucks star Khris Middleton took over in the 4th quarter by scoring 20 points which were more than the Hawks scored in the 4th. Young and the Hawks struggled heavily in the 4th both offensively and defensively. The Hawks will need to make many adjustments to give themselves a chance in the rest of the series.
Here are 5 adjustments the Hawks must make after Trae Young's injury in the Game 3 loss to the Bucks.
Hawks adjustments:
5. Get Lou Williams going off the bench
Lou Williams only scored 5 points in Game 3 which was detrimental to the bench scoring output. While Williams isn't the player he once was, he is still a scoring threat at any moment. When Trae Young is out of the game it is up to Williams to run the offense and he needs to pick it up going forward in the series.
To get Williams going the Hawks will have to run the pick and roll. When Young is in the game the Hawks create mismatches on the floor through high screen and rolls which is something they can replicate with Williams.
If the Hawks can get Williams going early it will go a long way in getting them back in the series.
4. Make it difficult for Giannis to get in the paint
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the league but he hasn't always succeeded in the playoffs. He is a dominant player and is hard to stop once he gets in the paint. The best chance of stopping Giannis is building a wall forcing him to pass it off or take a tough shot.
While this defense won't completely stop him, it will limit him enough to help them win the series.
3. Create more dribble penetration
The Hawks are a great three-point shooting team but need to create more in the paint. Young is great at getting into the paint and getting a floater or lob pass to a teammate. If the defense collapses on dribble penetration it leaves shooters wide open.
The Hawks need to create more dribble penetration the rest of the series to get more high-quality shots.
2. Get John Collins more involved
John Collins is a very underrated player and the Hawks need to get him more involved. With Young playing hurt it will be up for teammates to step up like Collins. Collins has an all-around great offensive game and needs to be utilized more. He only scored 13 points in Game 3 while shooting 75 percent on 8 shot attempts.
If the Hawks are going to have a successful offense they will need Collins to take more shot attempts.
Look for the Hawks to get him involved early and often to set the tone offensively alongside Young.
1. Limit Khris Middleton
Khris Middleton erupted for 38 points along with 11 rebounds and 7 assists. Middleton is a great player but is a streaky star. He has the ability to take over a game and lead a team to victory but can also have a very inefficient game. The Hawks will have to limit him going forward in the series by forcing tough shots. They don't have to stop him completely but rather make every shot he takes difficult.
If the Hawks can make these adjustments, they will have a shot at making it to the NBA Finals.
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