Hawks seek a pivotal MLK Day win against struggling Bucks, aiming to break a three-game losing streak and find renewed momentum.
The Atlanta Hawks will step onto one of the most meaningful stages of their season Monday afternoon, hosting the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the NBA’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day slate with both teams searching for answers.
Atlanta enters the matchup having dropped three straight games, all by wide margins, including Saturday’s 132-106 loss to Boston. The Hawks have been outscored by an average of 22.3 points during the skid, slipping to 20-23 and settling into 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee, meanwhile, arrives in Atlanta riding its own three-game losing streak and sitting 11th in the East, 1½ games behind the Hawks.
For Atlanta, the timing of the game carries added weight. MLK Day has long been a centerpiece of the franchise’s calendar, and the Hawks will be playing their 35th game on the holiday, second-most in league history. In Dr. King’s hometown, the day has traditionally served as both a celebration and a measuring stick, and the Hawks will be looking to use it as a turning point rather than another reminder of recent struggles.
The Hawks’ current slide has coincided with several moving parts. Offensively, Atlanta has struggled to generate consistent flow, particularly late in games. Jalen Johnson, who has been the team’s most reliable scorer for much of the season, has totaled just 37 points over the last three games, well below his season average of 22.8. As defenses have loaded up on him, Atlanta has had difficulty finding counters.
At the same time, the Hawks are still in the early stages of integrating new pieces. C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert, acquired in the deal that sent Trae Young to Washington, have played just four games with the team. McCollum has averaged 17 points and 3.8 assists in that span, while Kispert has contributed 10 points per game, but the on-court chemistry is still developing.
Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has consistently framed the recent stretch as part of a longer process rather than a cause for alarm.
“You don’t want to get into ‘the sky is falling,’” Snyder said. “This adversity is something we’ve got to use. I think formulaically it’s a good thing. There are things that we know if we do, that we’re going to be better.”
Snyder has also acknowledged the challenge of blending new players midseason, particularly during a compressed schedule.
“We’re integrating a couple of new guys on the fly, and that’s something we need to be aware of,” Snyder said. “Usually when you do that, there are stretches that are like this where either player doesn’t quite understand what we’re doing. It’s not habitual and we have to find that interaction on the fly.”
Milwaukee enters the game with similar questions. The Bucks were routed 119-101 by San Antonio on Thursday, a loss that followed a 139-106 defeat to Minnesota. In the Spurs game, Milwaukee trailed by as many as 39 points, and Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to 21 points, five rebounds, and one assist before exiting with more than 16 minutes remaining.
Despite the results, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers downplayed concerns about his team’s postseason outlook.
“I think people on the outside look at that more than the players, honestly,” Rivers said. “We’ve got half a year left. I think they’re trying to get right. We’re what, two games, one game from the play-in? It’s a whole half-a-season left, so I don’t see that at all with us.”
Antetokounmpo echoed that sentiment, calling the recent struggles a short blip rather than a trend.
“It was just two bad days,” he said. “The best players come back. We’ve just got to move the ball better and knock down our threes.”
Monday’s game will be the first of three meetings between the Hawks and Bucks this season. Atlanta won three of five matchups last year, and with both teams hovering around the play-in line, the head-to-head results could carry added importance later in the spring.
For the Hawks, though, the immediate focus is simpler. On a day that has historically brought energy and purpose to the building, Atlanta will be looking for a performance that reflects progress, connection, and stability — and a reset that can carry beyond the MLK Day spotlight.