By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Jun 26, 2021 at 9:56 AM Photography: Milwaukee Bucks

In Game 1, the Bucks wasted a prime opportunity to ground the high-flying Hawks and send Milwaukee fans into the stratosphere of excitement and city pride. 

On Friday night, they would not make the same mistake.

Fueled by a 43-point onslaught in the second quarter, the Bucks absolutely demolished Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks in Game 2, 125-91 – and as hard as it may be to believe, it wasn't even that close. Deservedly embarrassed after blowing Game 1, the Bucks harrangued Young into clanks and turnovers, turning both into fastbreak points and easy buckets. The Hawks shimmied on their home floor and got the win Wednesday night. On Friday, the Bucks stomped all that out and reminded the Hawks that they're not supposed to be here – and it was beautiful to see. 

Now, can they maintain that energy into Atlanta for Games 3 and 4? And can they get even better? After all, Middleton still just went 2-for-7 from deep and Giannis only needed 25 points before the game was iced. Before we look ahead to the tie-breaker Game 3 on Sunday, let's look back at the first time the Bucks played a complete game since Miami. It's been too long – but I am still all too happy to see it. 

1. Party in the plaza

Game 1 may have been a depressing comedown, but you wouldn't have known it from the crowd both inside and outside Fiserv Forum on Friday night. Inside, the fans were loud and inspiring while outside Milwaukee gathered to cheer on their team and their city. Now to do it again, this time with the Bucks on the road – which means I guess we'll just have to be louder so they hear us all the way down South.

2. Shimmy: silenced

Trae Young may have shimmied once again on Friday night, but it wouldn't be long before the Bucks were the ones dancing. After his 48-point Game 1 explosion, Young only netted 15 points on Friday night and looked uncomfortable all game long thanks to the Bucks' relentless and stifling defensive adjustments leaving no room for a shot, much less a shimmy. Safe to say Young's smooth moves didn't make an appearance in the fourth quarter last night – mainly because Young himself didn't make an appearance in the fourth quarter, as the Hawks and Bucks both benched the starters with the game well in hand with plenty of time remaining. You don't hate to see it.

3. Now that's a cool move

Giannis only needed three quarters to put up another impressive stat sheet: 25 points, nine rebounds, six assists and this insanely pretty mid-air adjustment that was so cool and slick, even Giannis had to take a moment of disbelief to celebrate it. 

Now if only he shimmied too.

4. Starry-eyed

The Hawks were seeing stars on Friday night – and not just cartoon stars circling their heads from getting walloped all game long. Chance the Rapper made the trip up from Chicago to root for a better basketball team, Russell Wilson and Ciara showed up to give the Bucks a boost, and newly discovered Bucks superfan Sheryl Crow soaked up the Milwaukee victory in Fiserv Forum.

But this is Wisconsin, so we know who the true celebrity in the house was ...

Considering how things went Friday night, I guess they'll just have to keep coming to the games now!

5. Brook at his best

After Game 1, Brook Lopez looked unplayable, his drop coverage defense getting burned regularly by Trae Young for floaters without enough offense on the other end to merit playing time. Game 2, however, was a completely different story. Lopez slightly moved up his coverage in the paint, and that saved his defense, making Young clearly uncomfortable and clank-happy. And on the other end, the Bucks took advantage of both Lopez's size and outside shooting to blow the doors off the game. He still likely will split time with the likes of Bobby Portis and Giannis at the five – but Lopez showed he still has a valuable place in this series if the Bucks are going to win, and that he's not going anywhere. 

6. Smothered

Life was too easy for Trae Young in Game 1 – in case the 48 points didn't make that obvious. So the Bucks amped up the defensive pressure and strategy, and Young came violently back down to Earth, only nabbing 15 points on ugly 6-of-16 shooting. Best of all for Milwaukee, thanks to the. stronger defensive effort, Young was tremendously sloppy with the ball, coughing up nine turnovers by the end of the game – many of which turned into easy buckets for the Bucks. They turned Young's playmaking ability into plays for themselves – a good recipe for hopefully a series win.

7. Sparkplug Portis

Looking at Bobby Portis' stats for Game 2, you wouldn't be blown away – just eight points with three rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. Nice bench numbers but nothing that jumps out as special. However, if you watched the game, you know that Bobby Portis was invaluable to the Bucks in Game 2, bringing up the energy and effort on the court, and catapulting the crowd's excitement in the stands with timely shots, scrappy defense and the kind of unrepentant enthusiasm that's been fueling the Hawks' playoff run. After a MIA series against the Nets, Bobby's not going anywhere this time around.

8. The Human Victory Formation strikes again

You know a game's over when Thanasis, the Human Victory Formation, is on the court. And you DEFINITELY know it's over when he's slamming over the opposing team and making even garbage time a thrill to watch.

It was the perfect exclamation point for the Bucks' first complete game since the first round against the Heat. I don't expect to beat the Hawks by 40 again anytime soon – but it was an important game to remind the Bucks that they can be this good and remind the Hawks that, even in this miracle playoffs run, they can be beat. Now to remind them again on Sunday night down in the ATL.

Matt Mueller Culture Editor

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.

When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.