Milwaukee @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 7, 2019 ) Atlanta 107, Milwaukee 115

November has been very good for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, who look to continue their hot play this month entering Wednesday’s contest at the struggling Atlanta Hawks. The Bucks have won eight of nine games since Nov. 1 after a 115-101 victory Monday at Chicago, led by Antetokounmpo’s 33 points and 10 rebounds to give the reigning MVP 30-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in seven of his past eight contests.

Antetokounmpo dominated Monday even though he was whistled for five offensive fouls, and entered Tuesday second in the league in scoring (30.3) and rebounding (14 per game) as the Bucks improved to 7-2 on the road and moved a season-best seven games over .500. “I’m just going to keep trying to go downhill, keep trying to go through guys,” Antetokounmpo told reporters after shooting 13-for-22 from the field with three steals and eight turnovers. The Hawks limped home after a rough 1-4 west coast road trip which included a 49-point loss to the Clippers on Saturday, and since starting the season 3-3 have lost six of their past seven games. Point guard Trae Young ranks fourth in the NBA in average assists (8.7), seventh in scoring (27.0) and tied for ninth in steals (1.6).

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS Southeast (Atlanta)

ABOUT THE BUCKS (10-3): Antetokounmpo is getting plenty of help from his teammates, especially with guard Khris Middleton still sidelined with a left thigh bruise suffered Nov. 10. Center Brook Lopez scored 11 of his season-high 19 points in the fourth quarter Monday and added 10 rebounds and five blocked shots, and guard George Hill broke out of a shooting slump (4-for-18 in his previous four games) to score 18 points with four 3-pointers. Milwaukee leads the NBA in average rebounds (52.2) and ranks second in opponent field-goal shooting (40.8 percent).

ABOUT THE HAWKS (4-9): With forward John Collins suspended and guard Kevin Huerter out with a shoulder injury, forward Jabari Parker has emerged in averaging 19.4 points, eight rebounds and 1.9 steals while shooting 50.8 percent shooting from the field in eight starts. Young became the fifth-youngest player in league history to reach 750 career assists on Saturday against the Clippers, and is shooting 36.7 percent from 3-point range and 81.7 percent from the free-throw line. Rookie guard Cam Reddish has struggled greatly offensively, shooting just 27 percent from the field and 18.8 percent on 3-point attempts.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Atlanta has allowed an average of 127.7 points across its past six games, giving up no fewer than 121 points in that span.

2. The Bucks rank among the best teams in the NBA in several offensive categories, including scoring per game (second at 118.5) and made 3-pointers per game (fourth at 13.8).

3. Milwaukee is 10-1 when shooting better from the field than the opponent, and 9-1 when scoring 110 or more points.

PREDICTION: Bucks 126, Hawks 108