For more on today's game, check out our Milwaukee blog at Brew Hoop and our Atlanta blog at Peachtree Hoops.
Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - John Salmons scored 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting and had seven assists, and Milwaukee blew out Atlanta, 107-89, in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
Jerry Stackhouse came off the bench for 16 points, while Brandon Jennings chipped in 13 and Luc Mbah a Moute 12 for the Bucks, who trail 2-1 with Game 4 of the best-of-seven set slated for Monday, again at the Bradley Center.
"Our goal was to come out with a lot of energy, intensity, get back to playing like we know we can," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "We did that for huge stretches of the game tonight."
Milwaukee, in the playoffs for the first time since 2006, hasn't made it out of round one since 2001 when the Bucks lost to Philadelphia in the conference finals. Since then, they've lost three straight opening-round series.
Jennings and Salmons each had 11 points in a big first quarter for the Bucks, who went 15-of-22 from the field and built a 36-19 cushion after 12 minutes. They were ahead by double digits for all but one minute the rest of the game.
"They were the most physical team tonight and it showed on the scoreboard," Hawks coach Mike Woodsonsaid. "We just didn't match any of their physical (play) to start the game. It put us in a whole right at the start."
It was another brutal road loss in the playoffs for the Hawks, who have dropped 15 of their last 16 away postseason games.
Joe Johnson had 25 points to pace Atlanta, which shot 39.1 percent from the field. The Hawks were 3-of-15 from three-point range.
The frontcourt starting duo of Josh Smith and Marvin Williams struggled, going just 3-of-19 from the field.
Salmons scored seven and Jennings had a pair of three-pointers during a 15-2 spurt, giving Milwaukee a 17-5 cushion nearly five minutes into the game. The Bucks upped the margin to 18 later in the quarter and went to the second comfortably in front.
A jumper from Luke Ridnour upped the lead to 44-25 with 7 1/2 minutes left in the half before Atlanta closed the gap to 52-40 at the break.
Johnson's two free throws had Atlanta within 54-45 with 9:48 left in the third, but that single-digit margin lasted 62 seconds as Carlos Delfino nailed a three-pointer. Another Delfino three moved the lead to 64-47 and the Bucks coasted to a 21-point cushion going into the fourth.
Milwaukee was ahead by as many as 28 in the last period.
Milwaukee is 3-19 in series when they are without home-court advantage...The Bucks finished 10-of-23 from three-point range...Smith had seven points and 12 rebounds...Zaza Pachulia scored 16, Jamal Crawford 11 andAl Horford 10 for Atlanta...Kurt Thomas had 13 rebounds and Dan Gadzuric 10 boards for Milwaukee...Ridnour and Ersan Ilyasova each scored 11 for Milwaukee.
