Milwaukee Bucks Secure Game 5 Win Against Atlanta Hawks; Milwaukee Steps Closer to NBA Finals
Despite no Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor, the Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a pivotal Game 5 against the Atlanta Hawks, 123-112 victory.
No Giannis, No Problem
Both teams' stars were not on the floor of Fiserv Forum in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday night, but the Bucks had more than enough firepower to secure a victory at home in front of 16,389 fans.
The Milwaukee Bucks played Game 5 without their two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who hurt his knee in the Game 4 loss. The Atlanta Hawks also did not have their star guard Trae Young, who sat for the second straight game this series with a foot injury after stepping on the foot of a referee in Game 3.
Young was on the court shooting jumpers before the game, but the Hawks decided to rest him with the hopes of being ready for Saturday. Antetokounmpo made his presence felt despite being on the bench for most of the game.
According to CBS Sports, the Bucks overcame the absence of Antetokounmpo with huge contributions from their four other players. Bucks' center Brook Lopez led the scoring department of the Milwaukee squad with 33 points. Star forward Khris Middleton dropped 26 points, while Jrue Holiday made 25. The replacement for Antetokounmpo in the starting lineup, Bobby Portis, dropped his career playoff-high of 22 points in a pivotal Game 5 win.
Bobby and Brook Show
During the post-game interview, Khris Middleton praised the performance of Jrue Holiday in setting the tone for them early in the game. Middleton added that aside from his performance throughout the game, Holiday also involved guys like Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez to secure the win at home, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Moreover, Middleton shared that he looked for spots where he could attack and be aggressive, taking advantage of the mismatches.
Also, Lopez's size and the playmaking from Middleton and Holiday rescued the Bucks from possibly going down in the series. The Bucks dominated the shaded area with 66 points in the paint. Lopez shot 14 and 18 throughout the game and scored 26 of his points in the paint, the Athletic reported.
Meanwhile, Bucks' guard Jrue Holiday said during an interview that Brook made the game easier for them. Holiday added that when Brook dominated the floor, controlling the paint, stepping out for three, getting to the free-throw line, everything else opens up for the Milwaukee squad.
The Bucks were getting whatever they wanted on offense early in the game. They started Game 5 with 9 for 14 shooting from the floor and pulled down offensive rebounds on all their misses to take another look at the basket.
Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer stated that Bobby played with great passion in their Game 5 win. He also added that Bobby's passion was infectious, and his teammates and the fans love him.
Milwaukee holds a 3-2 advantage in the series, with Game 6 to be played on Saturday in Atlanta. The possible Game 6 win for the Bucks would bring them to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1974.
RELATED ARTICLE: Hawks Destroy Bucks at Home to Tie East Finals Series at 2-2; Blowout Victory in Atlanta
WATCH: Brook Lopez (33 PTS) & Bobby Portis (22 PTS) Got The Win For Giannis - Bleacher Report
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