Bucks Hoping To Steal Game 2 In Atlanta Before Series Heads To Milwaukee

(Sports Network) - The Milwaukee Bucks will try to avoid falling in a 2-0 series hole when they face the Atlanta Hawks tonight in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at Philips Arena.

Joe Johnson led a balanced scoring effort with 22 points on Saturday, as the Hawks jumped on the Bucks early and came away with a 102-92 decision in the opener of their set.

Veteran point guard Mike Bibby shot a brilliant 8-of-9 from the field for 19 points for Atlanta, which won the final four games of its regular season slate to capture the No. 3 seed in the East. Josh Smith tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.

Jamal Crawford, playing in the playoffs for the first time in his 10-year career, netted 17 points for the Hawks, who shot a scorching 61.9 percent in the first half en route to a 22-point lead. Al Horford ended with 15 points and seven rebounds for Atlanta, which also received 12 points from Marvin Williams.

Star rookie Brandon Jennings led a valiant comeback for Milwaukee, helping cut the deficit to seven before the fourth quarter. Jennings, though, scored just two of his game-high 34 points in the final stanza.

"When you get into playoff basketball you can build big leads, but teams are going to make runs. You're going to see that throughout the playoffs," Hawks head coach Mike Woodson said. "Milwaukee made a heck of a run in the third quarter, and we countered the run."

John Salmons, the catalyst behind Milwaukee's first postseason appearance in four seasons, ended with 16 points on 6-of-18 shooting in the loss.

Without center Andrew Bogut, who is out with a broken hand and dislocated elbow suffered in a gruesome fall two weeks ago, the Bucks recorded just one block to Atlanta's 11.

Ersan Ilyasova chipped in 11 points for Milwaukee while Kurt Thomas, Bogut's replacement in the starting lineup, had four points and nine rebounds in the loss.

"They made some open shots early in the first quarter and we missed some. We got a little shell-shocked," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said.