NBA Play-offs: Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks win two games, series over Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks trailed by as many as 22 points before finding a second wind with Cam Reddish leading the comeback charge after recently returning from injury

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The Milwaukee Bucks celebrate with the Eastern Conference trophy after defeating the Atlanta Hawks in game six. Photo: AP

Published: 12:07pm, 4 Jul 2021Updated: 12:25pm, 4 Jul 2021

The Atlanta Hawks’ remarkable run through the NBA play-offs came to an end with a 118-107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in game six of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night. The Hawks trailed by as many as 22 points before finding a second wind with Cam Reddish leading the comeback charge after recently returning from injury, but couldn’t quite pull off the comeback.

They trimmed their deficit with six points with three and a half minutes remaining. But another comeback for the ages was not to be. The Bucks won the series 4-2 and advance to the NBA Finals.

Trae Young returned after missing two games with a right foot bone bruise sustained in game three, though he didn’t look his normal self, finishing with 14 points, nine assists and five turnovers. Reddish led the Hawks in scoring with 21 points. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 20 points, three assists and three steals.

Atlanta gave up 44 points in the third quarter as Khris Middleton, who had a game-high 32 points, got going, and entered the fourth quarter down 19.

The Hawks were 20-47 last year and started this season 14-20, before interim coach Nate McMillan took over for Lloyd Pierce. The team’s preseason goal was to simply make the play-offs, and it ended up wildly exceeding that, advancing to within two games of the NBA Finals.