Millsap, Muscala help Hawks hold off Bucks

Miami’s average margin of defeat is minus-3.1 points, better than 12 teams in the National Basketball Association, including the 7-5 Portland Trail Blazers. The nine-point output was the second-lowest total allowed by the Hawks in a second quarter in franchise history, and it doubled as the lowest-scoring quarter by any opponent this season.

The Hawks and Howard experienced just how hard boxing out Whiteside is Tuesday night.

NOTES: With PG Goran Dragic back from injury, the Heat used its fourth different starting lineup in the past four games.

Dragic went through shoot around today in preparation for tonight’s home game against Milwaukee and coach Erik Spoelstra this morning said he “just got done winking at me”, before adding, “I don’t necessarily know how to translate that”.

I will pick the Milwaukee Bucks to win in this game as they have the advantage of a deeper line-up that can force mismatches.

“We’re right there. It makes no sense to get down on ourselves”, he told reporters after the setback. The 2013 second-round pick secured sixteen points (six of eleven from the field), five rebounds, three dimes, and a block.

Dion Waiters scored 23 points on 10 of 22 shooting and had seven rebounds and four assists.

Surging shooting guard Rashad Vaughn also took a hit on Wednesday, tossing up a goose egg for points in fourteen minutes of play.

“We are all cheering”, Obama said, “for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who seems to be getting better every year”. “They really have a way of cutting and attacking, and catching and going into the paint”. Despite that ineptitude, the Hawks claimed an early 7-2 lead, but an 11-2 run from Milwaukee erased that margin as Atlanta contributed to visibly struggle offensively.

Mike Muscala, who started in place of Howard, had 16 points. I want to get it to where it’s feeling 100 percent, where if I do hit against something, it doesn’t hurt.

The Atlanta Hawks were without center Dwight Howard, as well as veteran reserve Thabo Sefolosha, and it didn’t matter Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. Of course, it will all be by committee for the Heat this year.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists for the Bucks (5-5), while Jabari Parker had 21 of his 23 points in the second half. If the Hawks can continue to utilize Howard as a specialist and avoid bending over backwards to appease his post-touch-related demands, this team will roll through the regular season. With SG Khris Middleton (hamstring surgery) likely out for the season, the Bucks are missing the career-high 18.2 points he averaged in 2015-2016, tops on the team.

Tyler Johnson on the start at point guard for a fast start.

Miami’s next four games will be on the road and the trip will begin on Saturday in Washington with a game against the Wizards.

The next 10 games will test Miami’s character.