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Originally Posted by Der_Wolf
Spot on with everything you said. I agree 100% If you didn't watch the game you would think Giannis got hurt in warm-ups. The Hawks absolutely outplayed the Bucks in the first half. I will say the way the fans reacted to him getting injured made me a bigger fan of the Hawks. I love to see class like that. Of course, I want the Bucks to win this series, but I will be pulling for the winner of this series to win the whole thing. You guys have a hell of a team, and as you said, you did it the right way. I feel like the Bucks are similar in that regard. I can't stand when these big market teams (usually warm cities with nice nightlife [sans nets]) can just build a super team with all of their buddies.
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I think a huge key was the way the Hawks played defense for a change. Instead of letting Giannis or others live in the paint and have almost no resistance, they swarmed. That is exactly what Nate has been trying to teach them. Remember, Budenholzer coached the Hawks in the recent past and they turned out to be a decent team, BUT, they just didn't have that killer instinct and couldn't get over the hurdle. That reminds me of the Bucks and I think it's no coincidence it's the same coach. A lot of people underestimate the importance of good coaching and almost exclusively focus on star players. A coach needs to get the respect and attention of the entire roster and Nate has done that beautifully I think. They are now believing in themselves and seem to enjoy being faced with pressure and being the underdog. Huge motivator.
Yeah I was glad to see the ATL fans show respect when Giannis went down. I feel the same. You just know that NY or Philly fans would likely be different. Can't stand the fans in either of those shit holes. It made the Hawks wins in those series that much more enjoyable.
I also saw that Trae Young sent well wishes to Giannis immediately after the game on Twitter I think. That's showing some class, especially from a young player like him.
Well, let's hope for no more injuries to any players. It kind of puts a damper on things.