San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Bucks beat Hawks, reach Finals
ATLANTA — The Milwaukee Bucks are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.
They didn’t even need twotime MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to lock up their spot.
Khris Middleton scored 32 points, including a run of 16 straight points in a decisive third quarter that carried the Bucks to a 118107 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night.
Milwaukee won the series 42, advancing to face the Suns in the NBA Finals. Game 1 is Tuesday night in Phoenix.
“It’s sweet,” said Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer, who previously guided the Hawks. “These guys have put the work in all year. They deserve to go to the Finals. I couldn’t be more proud of them. I love coaching them. We’ve got more work to do.”
Trae Young returned to the Hawks’ lineup after missing two games with a bone bruise in his right foot, but the AllStar guard never got anything going. After both teams struggled to find the range in the first half, the Bucks suddenly couldn’t miss in the third quarter.
Especially Middleton. Atlanta actually had a chance for its first lead of the game when Young’s behindtheback pass gave Kevin Huerter an open look from 3point range.
The shot rimmed out, and Middleton quickly ripped off the next 13 points to push the Milwaukee lead to 6045.
Young broke up the oneman onslaught with a driving basket, but Middleton responded with a 3pointer that gave him 16 straight points for his team.
Middleton finished the quarter with 23 points, nearly outscoring the Hawks by himself. Atlanta had 29 points in the period as Milwaukee headed to the final quarter with a commanding 9172 lead.
Jrue Holiday added 27 points for the Bucks. Cam Reddish, who missed much of the season with an Achilles injury, came off the bench to spark the Hawks. He scored 21 points — making six 3pointers — as the Hawks sliced a 22point deficit down to six in the closing minutes.
But the Bucks finished it off, rekindling memories of the franchise’s early years when Milwaukee quickly became the center of the NBA world with a team led by two of the game’s greatest players, Kareem AbdulJabbar and Oscar Robertson.
In Milwaukee’s third season in the league, the duo led the team to its only NBA title in 1971. The Bucks returned to finals three years later, only to lose to the Boston Celtics in seven games. Robertson retired after that season and AbdulJabbar was dealt a year later to the Los Angeles Lakers, ending Milwaukee’s run as an elite franchise.