Hawks eager to exploit playoff mismatches

With standout center Andrew Bogut out for the season because of injury, the Bucks don’t have the bodies to deal with Hawks center Al Horford and forward Josh Smith in the post. Those two dominated scoring inside and created outside shots for teammates as the Hawks dazed the Bucks from the start.

Natural wing forward Carlos Delfino couldn’t keep Smith from getting to the basket. Kurt Thomas is stout enough to defend Horford in the post but he’s neither fleet enough to guard him away from the basket nor athletic enough to prevent Horford from scoring on jump hooks when he gets inside.

So the Hawks opened the game by giving it to Smith and Horford and clearing out. They weren’t as effective with the plan after halftime and suffered through scoring droughts that allowed the Bucks back into the game.

“It is simple,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. “In playoff basketball, you kind of exploit match-ups. We tried to take advantage of Al and (Smith) inside and early on I thought that was to our advantage. In the second half I thought we weren’t really solid in our offensive execution in terms of getting them the ball."

That responsibility falls to the Hawks’ guards, but Smith and Horford also have to do their parts.

The Bucks poked away several lax entry passes to the post in the second half. The Hawks’ big men didn’t help matters by letting the Bucks push them away from the basket instead of fighting for position near the basket.

Woodson was pleased with the Hawks’ effort but said that kind of “sloppy” execution is what prevented them from playing a complete game. The Hawks watched video of Game 1 and had a light shooting session on Sunday and plan to have a full practice on Monday focused on correcting their mistakes.

“If we are clicking on all cylinders and communicating, we are a tough team to beat, and I think we know that,” said Hawks guard Joe Johnson. “We have just got to put together two good halves.”

Playing through it

Johnson said he’s resigned to playing with the thumb on his shooting hand at less than peak condition. Johnson got hit on the thumb again in Game 1.

“It takes a little while for [the feeling] to come back,” he said. “Other than that, I’ve been good. I am just trying to pick my spots out there and get guys involved.”

Johnson originally injured the thumb when he tangled with Lakers forward Ron Artest on March 31.

“I am just going to rest it after the season,” Johnson said. “That is the only way it is going to get better. I’ve just got to keep icing it and treating it.”

One out of three is good

Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings scored 34 points and made 14 of 25 shots in Game 1. Yet the point guard had only three assists as the Hawks limited Milwaukee's other perimeter threats.

Delfino, John Salmons, Luke Ridnour and Ersan Ilyasova combined to shoot 17 of 46.

“We didn’t let Delfino affect us,” Woodson said. “For the most part, we did a pretty good job on Johnny. We didn’t give Ilyasova a lot of open looks. I thought our [defensive] switches were pretty solid.

“Jennings, he just got it going. He’s a hell of a talent.”

No letdown

The Hawks said they learned their lesson from their playoff series against Miami last season. The Hawks routed the Heat in Game 1 but lost the next two before eventually winning the series in seven games.

“This is a new ballclub,” Smith said. “We really don’t want to take anything for granted. I think we are going to seize the opportunity. I don’t think we are going to have any letdowns this postseason.”