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Bucks hope to bounce back in Atlanta

Mar 15, 2011 - 2:53 PM (Sports Network) - A Milwaukee team trying to make a push for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference invades Dixie to take on the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday.

The Bucks are 1 1/2 games behind both Indiana and Charlotte for the eighth and final playoff berth in the East after a dismal 87-56 defeat at the hands of Boston in the opener of a brief two-game road trip on Sunday. How lopsided was that game? Milwaukee, which joined the NBA for the 1968-69 season, had never scored fewer points while no opponent in the Celtics' storied history had put up less points.

"That's about as humiliating a defeat as you'll ever see," said Bucks head coach Scott Skiles.

Milwaukee's top scorer was Earl Barron, who got 10 points in 10 productive minutes off the bench. The Bucks had a three-game winning streak snapped in embarrassing fashion, making just 22 of their 70 shots (31 percent), three of their 14 three-point attempts (21 percent) and nine of their 15 free throws (60 percent).

Of course, they were playing the second end of a back-to-back that began Saturday night with a 28-point win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Milwaukee. Traveling to Boston meant losing two hours -- one for the time zone change from Central to Eastern, and one because of the switch to daylight savings time.

"I really thought this was one of those scheduled losses for Milwaukee," Rivers said. "They were tired."

The Hawks, meanwhile, snapped a four-game skid on Saturday when Jeff Teague matched a career high with 24 points, Jamal Crawford scored all 20 of his points in the second half and Atlanta handled the Trail Blazers, 91-82, at Philips Arena.

Josh Smith posted 14 points, 12 rebounds and six assists while Joe Johnson added 11 points and five boards for the Hawks, who swept both games with Portland this season and have won five straight in the series overall, including three straight at home. Starting Center Al Horford missed the game with a sprained left ankle but should return tonight.

Atlanta currently hold the East's fifth seed, a relatively comfortable 3 1/2 games ahead of New York.

"Any time I get on the floor I am just happy to be there," Teague said. "I had a good game tonight and it was big. I am just glad we got off the skid and we won."

The Bucks have won two of three against Atlanta so far this season after surrendering a 3-2 edge in the first round of last year's playoffs.