5 Things Milwaukee Bucks need to do to continue their winning momentum against Atlanta Hawks | 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals

The Milwaukee Bucks will square off against the Atlanta Hawks tonight with the intent to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference finals matchup.

The Bucks won Game 3 with ease as Khris Middleton ran riot in the 4th quarter to inflict a 113-102 loss upon the Atlanta Hawks at their home arena. Both Middleton and the team's talismanic forward Giannis Antetokounmpo are expected to lead the charge for the Bucks in Game 4.

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2021 NBA Playoffs: 5 Factors that can help the Milwaukee Bucks clinch the series against the Atlanta Hawks

The majority of Milwaukee Bucks stars - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday - haven't experienced a championship win until now. However, they are just two wins away from making their first NBA finals appearance, and it is imperative for the trio and the team to keep their foot on the gas pedal.

On that note, here are 5 things they need to continue to do to get past the Atlanta Hawks -

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#5 - Let Khris Middleton dictate the offense in the 4th quarter

Khris Middleton in action for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Miami Heat

Khris Middleton scored a career playoff-high 38 points in Game 3 against the Atlanta Hawks. A whopping 20 of those came in the fourth quarter as Middleton singlehandedly took the game away from Trae Young and co. He made more three-pointers(6) than the rest of his teammates combined (5), and finished with a team-high 11 rebounds and seven assists.

Points in the 4th quarter:20 — Khris Middleton17 — Atlanta Hawks pic.twitter.com/uS07R2vfeF

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 28, 2021

The Milwaukee Bucks have handed the keys of offense to the 29-year-old come crunch time, and the small forward has delivered consistently. Khris Middleton has played the role of a closer to perfection, and the team should continue to trust him in the final 12 minutes of their games.

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#4 - The Milwaukee Bucks will need to continue to shoot well from downtown

A shot from Gme Three between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks

Mike Budenholzer's team shot 39% from behind the three-point arc in Game 3, which ended up as a major factor in the Bucks win. It was a similar story in Game 2, as the Milwaukee Bucks made 36.6% of their shots from the deep as opposed to the Hawks' 25%.

Bucks wide open three-point shooting percentages this postseason:Bryn Forbes - 47.4%Pat Connaughton - 40%Khris Middleton - 37.5%Brook Lopez - 34.6%Bobby Portis - 33.3%PJ Tucker - 29.2%Jrue Holiday - 27.3%Giannis Antetokounmpo- 20%Source: https://t.co/7w6Xmgk94X pic.twitter.com/PA2yDmqFiw

— Ti Windisch (@TiWindisch) June 24, 2021

However, in Game 1, the Bucks were able to connect on just 25% shots from downtown. The game ended in a loss for the team, and this trend leads to a key observation. The Milwaukee Bucks stand a great chance of winning games even when their 3-point shooting is average on the night.

#3 - Milwaukee Bucks need Giannis Antetokounmpo to continue dominating the Atlanta Hawks

Milwaukee Bucks's #34 Giannis Antetokounmpo (right) in action against the Atlanta Hawks

Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging a sensational 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists against the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference finals. He has been a menace on the defensive side of the ball as well, racking up two steals and a block per game.

Antetokounmpo has inarguably been the best player in this Eastern Conference finals matchup. He has got to the rim at will in offense and has consistently disrupted the Hawks' offense by being a help-defender on the other end. If the Milwaukee Bucks are to prevail over the Atlanta Hawks for the remainder of the series, the team will need Antetokounmpo to continue his stellar run in the playoffs.

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#2 - Win the rebounding battle

A shot from Game Three of between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks

There has been a direct co-relation between the Milwaukee Bucks' rebounding and the results. In Game 1, the Bucks lost the rebounding battle 58-50, which resulted in the Atlanta Hawks stealing a win on the road with a scoreline of 116-113.

However, the Milwaukee Bucks then showed active hands on the glass in Games 2 and 3, outrebounding the Hawks by a margin of 13 and 14 rebounds, respectively. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and PJ Tucker have been major contributors for the Bucks in terms of grabbing boards.

The Milwaukee Bucks have managed to keep Clint Capela and John Collins relatively quiet and will need to continue to do so.

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#1 - Keep the ball out of Trae Young's hands

Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during his side's game against Milwaukee Bucks

The Atlanta Hawks are dealing with an injury to Bogdan Bogdanovic, who has failed to exert his influence in the limited minutes he has played. Bogdanovic is the team's second best player, and him not being at 100% has led to Trae Young shouldering more responsibility on the offensive front.

The Milwaukee Bucks know all about the 22-year-old, who dropped 48 points and 11 assists in the Atlanta Hawks' Game 1 win on the road. Young has been brilliant throughout the postseason and possesses a major threat to the Milwaukee Bucks' chances of reaching the NBA finals.

Hence, the Bucks should look to double him at every opportunity. They will be able to live with any Hawks player not named Trae Young taking shots during the game.