The Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks faced each other for Game 4 on Tuesday night at Atlanta.
Taking a 2-1 series lead over the Hawks, the Bucks planned to take another win and were fan favorites to win with Trae Young ruled out for the Hawks.
However, the Hawks had other plans. They came prepared to fill up the void due to Young’s absence.
The Hawks took an early lead over the Bucks and dominated them throughout the game before defeating them at the end.
On the other hand, the Bucks trailed the Hawks in the early and situation got even worse after former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury in the third quarter.
The Hawks 10 point lead over the Bucks at the time of injury extended to 20 points after the injury.
Ultimately, the Hawks defeated the Bucks 110-88 and tied the series at 2-2.
The Hawks started strong and took the lead in the first quarter and never looked back going forward.
A strong start from the Hawks in the first quarter.
Bogdan Bogdanovic started the first quarter, knocking down a three-pointer. Jrue Holiday answered back with a layup on the other side.
Kevin Huerter dropped a jumper and Lou Williams added another jumper on the next possession.
John Collins’s alley-oop to Clint Capela for a dunk added another bucket for the Hawks.
The Hawks made a 10-2 run at the start of the game leading to 8 point lead.
P.J Tucker knocked down a three-pointer and Lou Williams answered back with a three-pointer.
7 quick for Sweet Lou! 🔥@ATLHawks 15@Bucks 7#NBAPlayoffs on TNT pic.twitter.com/WbslaKy3OY
— NBA (@NBA) June 30, 2021
Giannis Antetokounmpo found Brook Lopez under the rim for a dunk and Tucker added a layup.
Khris Middleton came up with a fadeaway jumper and the Bucks cut the lead to four-point with 4:11 remaining in the quarter.
Brook Lopez blocked Kris Dunn shot at the rim.
Subsequently, Tucker knocked down a corner three-pointer and Cam Reddish dropped a layup on the other side.
Bobby Portis knocked down a three-pointer on Middleton’s pass, tying the game at 19-19 with just over a minute left.
Bryn Forbes knocked down a three-pointer and the game tied again at 22-22.
Danilo Gallinari answered right back, knocking down a three-pointer.
The quarter ended 25-22 with the Hawks taking the lead.
The Hawks took the lead in the second quarter.
Giannis dropped a layup, drawing a foul over a minute into the quarter.
Bogdan Bogdanovic found Onyeka Okongwu under the rim for a dunk. Okongwu drew a foul, knocking down a layup on the next possession.
Onyeka And-1 😤
The @ATLHawks rookie is 3-3 early in Game 4 of the #NBAECF presented by AT&T! pic.twitter.com/gCG1cO2VLO
— NBA (@NBA) June 30, 2021
Holiday knocked down a three-pointer on the other side. Huerter answered back, banking a layup.
Bogdanovic dropped a three-pointer and the Hawks made 11 points lead about halfway into the quarter.
Middleton’s alley-oop to Giannis for a dunk, cut the lead to 9 points.
He added a fadeaway jumper on the next possession.
Lou Williams answered back with a fadeaway jumper on the other side and subsequently, Huerter added a jumper.
Capela dropped the jumper on Bogdanovic’s pass and the Hawks took 13 point lead.
The quarter ended 51-38 with the Hawks taking 13 point lead.
The Hawks crushed the Bucks in the third quarter after Giannis’s injury.
Bogdanovic started the quarter, knocking down a three-pointer and Holiday answered right back, knocking down a three-pointer.
Giannis blocked Clint Capela at the rim and came up with a bucket, dropping a dunk on the other end.
Brook Lopez knocked down a three-pointer on the next Bucks’ possession.
Huerter knocked down a fadeaway jumper and Williams answered back with a three-pointer. Giannis dropped a fadeaway jumper.
Subsequently, Capela dropped a layup and Giannis suffered an injury while blocking Capela.
Giannis then headed to the locker with his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s help.
And at the end of the quarter, the Bucks announced Giannis was ruled out for the game.
The Hawks were a 62-52 lead at the time of injury.
Subsequently, Jrue Holiday drove straight to the rim, dropping a jumper.
Bogdanovic knocked down a three-pointer and the Hawks took 15 point lead with under five minutes left in the quarter.
Huerter added a jumper on the next Hawks’ possession.
Bogdanovic knocked down another three-pointer and the Hawks made a 15-0 run.
The stepback.
Trae approves.Make that 6⃣ threes for Bogdan Bogdanovic on TNT! pic.twitter.com/u3LC43IzVc
— NBA (@NBA) June 30, 2021
Gallinari dropped a layup and the Hawks took the lead by 22 points with under two minutes left in the quarter.
Middleton dropped a jumper and Reddish answered back with a three-pointer.
Hence, the quarter ended 87-62 with the Hawks taking 25 point lead.
The Hawks dominated the Bucks to win the game.
Jrue Holiday came up with a fadeaway jumper and Lopez added another jumper on the next possession.
Bryn Forbes knocked down a three-pointer and the Bucks cut the lead to 16 points three minutes into the quarter.
Bogdanovic drove to the rim and dropped a reverse layup and Huerter made a hook shot.
Subsequently, Capela came up with a jump shot from behind the backboard with Lopez defending him halfway into the quarter.
Fading out of bounds.
Shot clock expiring.
Behind the backboard.UNREAL shot from Clint Capela 🤯 #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/4t8a2PL8kR
— NBA (@NBA) June 30, 2021
Pat Connaughton drew a foul, dropping a one-handed jumper and Collins answered back with a jumper.
Reddish came up with a bucket from behind the three-point line.
Huerter knocked down a three-pointer and the Hawks took a 24-point lead.
Skylar Mays dropped a layup and a jumper on the next possession.
As a result, the Hawks took 25 point lead in under a minute left in the game.
The quarter ended 110-88 and the Hawks took 22 point lead over the Bucks, tying the series 2-2.
The Hawks players stepped up.
Despite Trae Young being ruled out in Game 4 because of a bone bruise after twisting his ankle in Game 3, the Hawks dominated the Bucks throughout the game.
All this happened with other Hawks players stepping up in place of Trae Young.
Starting from Lou Williams, who replaced him in the starting lineup for the game.
Williams led the Hawks, scoring game-high 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists.
Lou Williams in his 1st career #NBAPlayoffs start:
🔥 21 PTS
🔥 8 AST
🔥 7-9 FGM@ATLHawks even the #NBAECF presented by AT&T at 2-2.. Game 5 is Thursday at 8:30pm/et on TNT. pic.twitter.com/07V3LAN74f— NBA (@NBA) June 30, 2021
Following Williams, Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 20 points with 3 rebounds and 5 assists.
He also put up a career-high 6 threes and 4 steals.
Kevin Huerter dropped 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Likewise, Clint Capela contributed 15 points and 7 rebounds.
On the other hand, Cam Reddish led the Hawks bench, scoring 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists.
While Danilo Gallinari dropped 10 points and 2 rebounds.
On the other side, Jrue Holiday led all scorers for Milwaukee with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists.
Khris Middleton dropped 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Giannis Antetokounmpo came up with 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists despite leaving early in the third quarter with an injury.
With the series all tied up at 2-2, the Bucks and the Hawks meet each other again on Thursday for Game 5 at Milwaukee.
