Hawks 116, Bucks 113: Trae Young slices up defense for 48 points in Game 1 of Eastern Conference Finals
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The Milwaukee Bucks just survived a seven-game slug-fest in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
They have another fight on their hands in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The postseason upstart Atlanta Hawks rode a sublime performance from standout guard Trae Young to score a 116-113 victory over the Bucks in Game 1 on Wednesday night at Fiserv Forum.
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Young, who has made a star turn these playoffs, finished with 48 points on 17-for-34 shooting. He added 11 assists and seven rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday combined for 67 points, but fellow Bucks star Khris Middleton couldn’t consistently find his shooting stroke and had just 15.
Young vexed the Bucks’ defense early with an array of floaters. He scored eight of Atlanta’s first 10 points and finished with 12 in the first quarter.
BOX SCORE: Bucks 116, Hawks 113
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After grueling seven-game series in the second round, both teams struggled from long range to start Game 1. The Hawks were just 1 for 10 and the Bucks 2 of 11 in the first quarter.
Bucks forward Bobby Portis, who did not play in the final three games of the Nets series, checked into the game to a nice applause from the home crowd at the 4:55 mark of the first quarter. He made a layup off a nice assist from Holiday and also hit a three-pointer to give the Bucks a lift.
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Milwaukee gained some separation early in the second quarter, taking a 38-29 lead while Young was out of the game. Young hit back-to-back threes to bring the Hawks within 42-39. Atlanta took the lead at 46-45 on a three-pointer by Kevin Huerter, prompting a timeout by Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer.
Milwaukee bounced back to take a 59-54 advantage into the locker room. Holiday scored eight points in the final 2:15 of the second quarter.
Young, who has been bothered by a right shoulder injury in the playoffs, took a hard foul from Portis late in the second quarter, with the 6-foot-10 Bucks forward landing on top of the diminutive Hawks guard. Young stayed on the ground for a couple minutes, but got up to make 1 of 2 free throws.
But Young bounced back to make two long step-back jumpers, giving him 25 points on 11-for-16 shooting in the first half.
Holiday had a tough shooting series against the Nets, but he led the Bucks with 16 efficient points in the first half.
The teams combined to shoot 9 for 36 from long-range in the opening 24 minutes.
The Bucks went up, 65-58, after the first few minutes of the third quarter. But the Hawks bounced right back with a 7-0 run to tie the game, with Young hitting a three and handing out two assists in that stretch.
Young’s ability to get into the paint and find teammates for easy lobs helped get the Hawks an 83-75 lead.
Holiday’s hot shooting continued and his three-pointer – after P.J. Tucker kept alive an offensive rebound – cut the Hawks’ lead to 86-83 with 1:21 left in the third. The basket slowed some of Atlanta’s momentum and got the crowd at Fiserv Forum back into the game.
Young had 37 points after three quarters and the Hawks went into the fourth with an 88-85 advantage.
Young started the final quarter on the bench and a three-pointer by Bucks guard Bryn Forbes cut the deficit to 92-90.
After a timeout by Hawks interim head coach Nate McMillan, Young checked back into the game with 8:23 remaining.
Holiday’s jumper at the foul line tied the game just under a minute later.
The Hawks weren’t rattled and scored back-to-back baskets. Then Middleton, who suffered through a 4 for 17 shooting start, canned two straight midrange jumpers to tie the game at 96-96.
The Bucks grabbed the lead back when Antetokounmpo went on a personal 6-0 run that made it 102-98. After Antetokounmpo missed a free throw, he grabbed the offensive rebound and Holiday drained a three-pointer to make it nine unanswered points.
The Hawks hit back with five straight points, then Holiday found Antetokounmpo for an alley-oop dunk that made it 107-103 with 3:14 remaining. The duo connected again just over a minute later for a 111-107 advantage.
Atlanta wouldn’t fold, though. John Collins made a three-pointer from the corner. Then, after misses from Holiday and Middleton, the Hawks took the lead at 112-111 when Clint Capela scored after an offensive rebound with 29.8 seconds left.
After a timeout, the Bucks’ Pat Connaughton missed a three-pointer from the wing, with Young chasing down the loose ball. He was fouled and made two free throws.
Antetokounmpo made two free throws, but Young answered with two of his own to give him 48 points with 4.6 seconds on the clock.
The Bucks had a chance to tie the game, but Middleton’s tough night ended with a missed three-pointer in the waning seconds.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Hawks 116, Bucks 113: Trae Young slices up defense for 48 points in Game 1 of Eastern Conference Finals