There were optimistic signs for the Atlanta Hawks on Friday evening but the result on the scoreboard was an unfavorable one against the Denver Nuggets. Little more than 36 hours later, the Hawks will be on the floor again on Sunday afternoon and, this time, it is Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on the other side.

The Bucks enter the game with a 3-2 record that features losses to only the Cavs and Celtics. Antetokounmpo presents issues for virtually every team in the NBA but, in the case of Atlanta, it will be interesting to see how Mike Budenholzer approaches a player with Antetokounmpo’s size and immense production.

As for the Hawks, the roster will not be at full strength once again, as Ersan Ilyasova (knee) has been ruled out in advance of the contest. The absence of DeAndre’ Bembry continues to sting as well and it will be difficult for the Hawks to lean on two-point guard lineups as heavily against the size of Milwaukee. Still, the return of Dennis Schröder (listed as probable) on Friday does bring optimism to the table.

As of Sunday morning, the Bucks are favored by 5 points in Philips Arena and that isn’t a shock considering their pedigree and Atlanta’s struggles. Still, the Hawks are equipped to compete in this spot if they can contain (at least to some degree) Giannis and it would be nice to close the first mini-home stand of the season with some level of success.

Stay tuned throughout the day for all the latest.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, October 29, 3:30 p.m. ET

Location: Philips Arena

TV: Fox Sports Southeast, Fox Sports Go, NBA League Pass

Radio: 92.9 “The Game”