The Atlanta Hawks seek their first win of the 2023-24 season Sunday when they visit the new-look Milwaukee Bucks.
The centerpiece of Milwaukee’s offseason roster additions, Damian Lillard, scored a game-high 39 points including 14 in the final four minutes of his Bucks debut on Thursday vs. Philadelphia. Lillard’s step-back 3-pointer with 1:13 remaining helped Milwaukee ice its 118-117 win.
“Any time your teammates are encouraging you to do what you do and be yourself so early (into a tenure), it helps,” Lillard said. “I’ve had enough conversations with guys, especially with Giannis (Antetokounmpo), I came in knowing what’s expected of me, especially in these types of situations.”
Lillard, a career 25.2 point-per-game scorer and seven-time All-Star, came to Milwaukee in a three-team trade that sent the Bucks’ second-leading scorer last season, Jrue Holiday to Portland. Holiday later landed with the Bucks’ Eastern Conference counterpart Boston Celtics.
Milwaukee also added free agent Malik Beasley in the offseason. Beasley started in the season opener and finished with five points and four rebounds in 31 minutes.
Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP, scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Thursday’s win.
Atlanta heads into Milwaukee having dropped its first two games of the season, the most recent a 126-120 decision Friday at home against the New York Knicks.
De’Andre Hunter scored a team-high 27 points in the loss, while Clint Capela had his second consecutive 13-rebound performance. Trae Young finished with 18 points on 4-of-16 shooting from the floor.
With 23 points in the Hawks’ season-opening 116-110 loss at Charlotte, Young has scored below his career average of 25.5 points per game in each of Atlanta’s first two contests.
“Not the way we wanted (the season) to start, but I’m trusting this process,” Young said. “I know it’s a long season. Every year is different, so I don’t try to judge it on past years and how we started other seasons.”
Atlanta is guided by head coach Quin Snyder, who was hired in late February last season after the dismissal of Nate McMilan. The Hawks went 10-11 in the regular season under Snyder and were bounced from the first round of the playoffs in six games by the Celtics.
“It’s just a question of execution, and it’s got to get better,” Snyder said of Atlanta’s slow start, particularly on the defensive end. “We’re seeing different things we can simulate in practice.”
The Hawks on Sunday face a Milwaukee offense that averaged 116.9 points per game last season, good for eighth in the league. Antetokounmpo, who averaged a career-best 31.1 points last season, has produced 22.5 points and 9.2 rebounds in 32 career games against Atlanta.
Lillard has averaged 24.1 points and 6.1 assists in his 16 career matchups with the Hawks, including six straight games of 30-plus points dating back to March 2019.
Young has scored 24.5 points in his 12 games opposite Milwaukee, including a 42-point outing last season.
–Field Level Media