"They call Josh Smith the X-factor in Atlanta.

Everybody knows about the 6-foot-9 forward's defensive skills and shot-blocking prowess - he finished second in the voting for the NBA's defensive player of the year award, behind Orlando's Dwight Howard.

But when Smith is dunking at will and scoring 21 points on his way to a near triple-double, as he did in Game 2, the Milwaukee Bucks are in major trouble in their Eastern Conference playoff matchup against the Hawks.

Slowing down Smith and 6-10 center Al Horford will be critical if the Bucks want to create a competitive series, beginning with Game 3 on Saturday night at the Bradley Center. The third-seeded Hawks hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after winning convincingly in Games 1 and 2 on their home floor.

"We had some tough turnovers, and they go out in transition and get dunks," said Bucks forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. "We also had some mental breakdowns. We've got to come back to our principles, go back to what we do best and make sure we defend inside-out. If we do that, we're going to be in a good position."

Mbah a Moute defended primarily against Hawks shooting guard Joe Johnson in the first two games, leaving 6-6 Carlos Delfino trying to handle Smith. That created a physical mismatch that Smith exploited, and it might cause a switch in the Bucks' defensive strategy for Game 3.

"Josh has been hurting us a little bit, and I see myself being on him a little bit now," Mbah a Moute said. "Coach has got a good game plan, and we'll see how it goes.""