EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: No. 3 MILWAUKEE BUCKS vs. No. 5 ATLANTA HAWKS
Top Line
• Opportunity Knocks: Milwaukee and Atlanta both have their sights set on earning a long-elusive Larry O’Brien Trophy. It’s been 50 years since the Bucks won their only NBA championship and 47 years since they last made the NBA Finals. The Hawks’ drought is even longer: It’s been 63 years since they won their only NBA championship and 60 years since they last made the NBA Finals – both accomplished when the franchise was known as the St. Louis Hawks.
• Fighting Spirit: The Bucks and Hawks reflect the “anything can happen” quality of these playoffs. Milwaukee lost decisively to Brooklyn in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but the Bucks rebounded to win four of the next five games, including Game 7 in overtime on the road. Atlanta rallied from 18- and 26-point deficits in two of its victories against top-seeded Philadelphia and won its own close Game 7 on the road.
• Living the Dream: Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was brilliant down the stretch of the Eastern Conference Semifinals for Milwaukee. Giannis savors these moments after defying long odds to get here. He used to sell trinkets on the streets of Athens to help his family make ends meet and was playing in Greece’s second division when he was discovered by NBA teams. Winning an NBA championship would punctuate one of the most improbable success stories in sports.
• Party Crashers: Atlanta’s turnaround has been remarkable. The Hawks entered 2020-21 with the NBA’s fourth-worst winning percentage over the previous three seasons – all last-place finishes in the Southeast Division. They started slowly this season, too, sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break. And yet, they’re now four wins away from the NBA Finals. Interim head coach Nate McMillan has found the winning formula with breakout star Trae Young and a nice blend of youth and experience.
• Young Gun: Trae Young has suddenly transitioned from centerpiece of a rebuilding team to franchise player on a championship contender. Though small in stature and not blessed with freakish athletic gifts, Young has an uncanny feel for the game, an unflappable demeanor and white-hot competitive fire. The Bucks follow New York and Philadelphia as yet another elite defense that will be geared to stop Young – which seems to be just how he likes it.
• Khash Money: When Milwaukee needed a big basket against the Nets, Khris Middleton calmly delivered. Middleton – like Giannis – is an unlikely star. He was selected in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft, traded after his rookie season and spent time in the NBA G League before emerging as a two-time NBA All-Star. Middleton isn’t flashy, but he is one of the league’s premier shooters and a steely competitor.
• Ties That Bind: The Bucks aren’t the only team in the series that has called Milwaukee home. The Hawks played four seasons in Milwaukee in the 1950s before moving to St. Louis. It was the Milwaukee Hawks who launched the NBA career of the legendary Bob Pettit, the first winner of the league’s MVP award. Pettit went on to lead the franchise to the 1958 NBA championship in St. Louis.