The Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks faced off each other for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
With the series tied at 1-1, both the teams looked to take a win on Sunday night.
However, it was the Bucks who got the win over the Hawks.
The Bucks defeated the Bucks 113-102 and took a 2-1 series lead over the Hawks on Sunday.
All possible because of the combined effort by Giannis Antetokoumpo and Khris Middleton.
Khris Middleton led the Bucks, scoring game-high points. His fourth-quarter performance showed that the Bucks have more than one player with the ability to lead the game.
On the other hand, the Hawks failed to keep their lead all the way as a result a win was sipped out of their hands.
Trae Young led the Hawks and started brilliantly as usual but lost his rhythm after an ankle injury in the final minute of the third quarter.
The Hawks’ strong start in the first quarter.
Clint Capela dropped a dunk and the Hawks up by four-point early in the quarter.
Subsequently, Kevin Huerter added a three-pointer, extending the lead to seven points.
Then Jrue Holiday answered with a layup on the other end.
Trae Young came up with a long three-pointer.
Subsequently, John Collins added a three-pointer and the Hawks took 13 point lead.
Brook Lopez finally dropped a jumper on Middleton’s pass for the Bucks.
Young quickly answered back with a hook shot on the other hand.
He shot a three-pointer but missed then Middleton grabbed the rebound and found Jrue Holiday on the other side for a dunk.
Bogdan Bogdanovic answered back with a three-pointer on the other end.
They were 22-10 with 5:19 remaining in the quarter as Young dropped a three-pointer.
Middleton dropped a jumper on the other side. Subsequently, Young dropped a jumper.
Brook Lopez answered back with a dunk and the Bucks cut their lead to nine-point.
Young knocked down a long jumper on the other side. Subsequently, Holiday dropped a dunk.
The quarter ended 32-27 with the Hawks taking the lead.
The Bucks make a return in the second quarter.
They were 35-29 early in the second quarter as Danilo Gallinari dropped a layup.
Bryn Forbes knocked down a three-pointer on the other side.
Lou Williams answered back with a three-pointer and Giannis came up with a one-handed dunk.
Giannis dropped a layup on the next possession and made a finger roll on the next possession.
Gallinari knocked down a jumper and Giannis answered back with a dunk.
Young made a long three-pointer and Huerter added a three-pointer.
🎯 TRAE FROM THE LOGO 🎯#NBAPlayoffs on TNT pic.twitter.com/v4jLqAbRDy
— NBA (@NBA) June 28, 2021
As a result, the Hawks took 10 point lead with under three-minute left in the quarter.
Middleton knocked down a three-pointer. Subsequently, Pat Connaughton added another three-pointer, and the game all tied up with about 12 seconds.
The quarter ended 58-58 with both teams tied, entering the third quarter.
The Hawks took the lead again in the third quarter.
Clint Capela dropped a layup and the Hawks took a four-point lead over a minute into the third quarter.
Subsequently, Young dropped a jumper and added a three-pointer on the next possession.
Gallinari dropped a floater and P.J Tucker answered back, knocking down a three-pointer.
Young quickly added a three-pointer on the other side.
And Middleton knocked down a three-pointer. Young drew a foul while knocking down a layup.
Middleton again came up with a floater and Lopez dropped a dunk on the next possession.
They were 73-70 halfway into the third quarter.
Subsequently, Huerter knocked down a three-pointer and Giannis answered back with a layup.
😤 33 & 11 for Giannis in Game 3 😤@Bucks take a 2-1 lead in the #NBAECF presented by AT&T..
Game 4: 8:30pm/et Tuesday on TNT pic.twitter.com/DabI4cmzip— NBA (@NBA) June 28, 2021
Giannis knocked down a three-pointer, cutting the lead to two points.
They tied at 82-82 with about a minute left in the quarter.
Gallinari knocked down a three-pointer and then Young suffered an injury and left the court.
The quarter ended 87-85 with the Hawks taking the lead, entering the fourth quarter.
The Bucks make a comeback to win the fourth quarter.
Gallinari dropped a jumper and the Hawks extended the lead early in the fourth quarter.
Bobby Portis quickly knocked down a dunk on the other side.
Lou Williams found Onyeka Okongwu for a dunk.
They were 93-88 as Okongwu dropped a one-hander jumper with 7:30 remaining in the quarter.
Middleton knocked down a three-pointer on the other side.
🔥 20 PTS in the 4th Q for @Khris22m
🔥 38 in game (ties playoff career high)
🔥 11 REB, 7 ASTKhris Middleton TAKES OVER in the @Bucks Game 3 win! Game 4 is Tuesday at 8:30 PM ET on TNT. #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/8TedimOk5F
— NBA (@NBA) June 28, 2021
Tucker came up with a steal and Pat Connaughton dropped a layup in transition.
The Bucks cut the lead to two points halfway into the quarter.
Middleton knocked down a three-pointer and the Bucks took a point lead.
Young quickly answered back with a three-pointer.
The Bucks tied the game at 98-98 with about five minutes remaining in the quarter.
Middleton caught fire and he knocked down a three-pointer and Giannis added a fadeaway jumper.
Collins answered back with a jumper.
Middleton again dropped a long jumper and the Bucks took 7 point lead with under two minutes left into the game.
Giannis knocked down a fadeaway jumper and Middleton added a jumper.
The quarter ended 113-102 with the Bucks taking the win and a 2-1 lead over the Hawks.
Middleton’s incredible performance.
The Bucks made a comeback after being dominated by the Hawks early in the first half.
But early in the fourth quarter, the Hawks again dominated the Bucks.
However, Khris Middleton came to the rescue and single-handedly outscored the whole Hawks team score in the fourth quarter.
“I just finally got them to go,” Middleton said. “I’ve been struggling some with the ball going in the basket. Finally, they started dropping for me at the right time. I’m thankful for that.”
And his performance led the Bucks past the Hawks in Game 3 and took a win to take the series lead.
“What he did today was unreal,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “He was unbelievable. Carried the team at the end. What I saw today was greatness. Simple as that.”
Khris Middleton was all over the court in the game. He finished the game, scoring game-high 38 points, and grabbed 11 rebounds along with 7 assists.
Hawks coach Nate McMillan said, “He was really going from everywhere.”
He also made 6 three-pointers and 15 of 26 from the field.
Giannis followed Middleton, scoring 33 points and 11 rebounds along with four assists.
While Brook Lopez dropped 10 points and grabbed 3 rebounds.
Jrue Holiday had only 6 points but made 12 assists to help the team.
Bobby Portis led the Bucks bench, scoring 15 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist all coming off the bench.
Trae Young led the Hawks in Game 3.
On the other hand, Trae Young led the Hawks, scoring 35 points and 4 assists despite suffering an injury in the third quarter.
He remains unsure for Game 4. According to the latest report, Young will have an MRI on Monday morning.
“It’s hurting. It’s frustrating,” Young said, adding the injury impacted “my blow-by speed.”
John Collins dropped 13 points, 8 rebounds, and an assist.
While Kevin Huerter contributed 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Clint Capela made only 8 points but grabbed 11 rebounds.
On the other hand, Danilo Gallinari contributed 18 points and 4 rebounds all coming off the bench.
“We’ve been in this position before and we’ll be ready for Game 4,” Gallinari said after the Hawks’ loss to the Bucks.
The Bucks and the Hawks will face each other for Game 4 on Tuesday in Atlanta.
