NBA: Hawks hold Damian Lillard to six points, cruise past Bucks
Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young jumps to make a basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kenny Yoo)
MILWAUKEE — Trae Young scored 20 points to lead eight players in double figures, and the Atlanta Hawks limited Damian Lillard to six points while routing the listless Milwaukee Bucks 127-110 on Sunday night for their first victory of the season.
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 17 points, Dejounte Murray had 15 and Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu finished with 14 apiece for the Hawks.
Lillard, who scored 39 points in his Bucks debut on Thursday, failed to score in the first half, missing all seven of his shots, including four from 3-point range, He also committed six of the team’s nine turnovers.
Ridiculous pair of assists from Trae to Big O 🥶🥶 pic.twitter.com/OdH7Ybg3ro
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 30, 2023
Lillard, who came to Milwaukee in a September trade for Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen and draft choices, tallied his first points on a pull-up 3-pointer with 3:33 left in the third quarter. He shot 2 for 12 overall, 2 of 8 from behind the arc.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks (1-1) with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Malik Beasley added 18 points.
Bucks forward Khris Middleton didn’t play as the team monitors his workload in the three-time All-Star’s return from offseason knee surgery. He’s expected to be available for Monday’s game with the Miami Heat.
Milwaukee was sluggish from the start, missing seven of its first eight shots. Atlanta led 31-25 after one quarter after holding the Bucks to 38.5% shooting.
The Hawks (1-2) pulled away in the second and led by as many as 23. They held a 68-47 lead at the half.
Young’s early season shooting woes continued, as he shot 5 of 14. Young was 4 for 16 shots in Friday’s loss at home to the New York Knicks. He was 4 of 19 in Atlanta’s 116-110 season-opening loss at Charlotte on Wednesday night.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
Bucks: Host the Miami Heat on Monday as Milwaukee faces the team that knocked it out of last season’s playoffs.
