The quarterfinals for the NBA Cup are over, and only four teams remain. The Bucks and Hawks are the last two Eastern Conference teams standing. On paper, the matchup seems like an easy win for Milwaukee. They have two superstars, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. However, the Inside The NBA crew thinks otherwise and it’s due to the Bucks’ one fatal defensive flaw.
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Following the Hawks’ 108-100 upset win over the Knicks. Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Ernie Johnson provided their insight into the upcoming semifinal matchup between the Hawks and the Bucks. The last time the two teams faced each other in a high-stakes environment was in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. Milwaukee came out victorious. However, Shaq believes the Hawks will continue their Cinderella run. He said,
“The Hawks are going to win easily. Bucks are terrible at transition defense. The Hawks are definitely going to win that game.”
O’Neal’s assessment of the Bucks isn’t based strictly on the eye test, the numbers support his argument. Milwaukee is 25th in opponent transition frequency at 17%, according to Cleaning The Glass. On the other hand, the Hawks are running in transition 20% of the game, which ranks fourth in the league. Additionally, Atlanta also ranks fourth in fastbreak points at 17.7 points per game.
Shaq wasn’t the only person to pick the Hawks, Barkley followed suit. The Suns’ legend highlighted the Bucks’ lackluster perimeter defense as an issue for concern, specifically against Trae Young, who is exceptional at dissecting defenses.
Smith stood alone in his prediction, claiming the Bucks would come out victorious. He claimed the overwhelming star power of Giannis and Dame would be the deciding factor. Both teams are playing their best basketball of the season, and are positioned to have a stellar duel for a bid in the NBA Cup Finals.
Bucks vs Hawks prediction
The Hawks have shown that they are capable of beating the best teams in the NBA. They are the only team to beat the league-best Cavaliers twice this season. However, they are also the only team to lose twice to the league-worst Wizards. They have what it takes to pull off an upset, but it may be too much to overcome against the Bucks.
Milwaukee’s defense is an issue that needs to be addressed. Regardless, the Bucks’ ability to apply pressure on the rim serves as an advantageous factor for this game.
Aside from Jalen Johnson, the Hawks don’t have a capable defender to match up with Giannis. If the Bucks can get him in foul trouble, the hill for Atlanta to climb will become increasingly large by the minute.
Additionally, the Bucks house the highest-scoring duo in the NBA with Giannis and Lillard. Their consistency and experience in high-stakes atmospheres is far greater than the youth of the Hawks outside of Young. For these reasons, it’s with good belief that the Bucks will stamp their ticket to the NBA Cup Finals against the winner of the Thunder and Rockets matchup.
