Milwaukee Bucks End Losing Streak with Thrilling Win Over Atlanta Hawks

The Milwaukee Bucks snapped a three-game losing streak with an exhilarating 112-110 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Martin Luther King Day. The win moves the Bucks to 18-24, cutting their deficit to the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot in half.

The Greek Freak Dominates

The Bucks were paced by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists. Nicknamed “The Greek Freak,” Antetokounmpo’s dominance was a key factor in Milwaukee’s victory.

Lineup Change Sparks Second Quarter Run

Milwaukee made a change to the starting five, inserting Kyle Kuzma and benching Kevin Porter Jr. The new lineup clicked, as the Bucks outscored the Hawks 34-19 in the second quarter to take a commanding 54-38 lead into halftime.

Hawks’ Red-Hot Three-Pointer Saves the First Half

Atlanta missed its first 21 three-point attempts but caught a spark just before the intermission. Trailing 54-30, CJ McCollum drained a three-pointer with 27 seconds left, cutting the deficit to 16 at the break.

Shootout in the Fourth Quarter

In the final frame, both teams traded baskets, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker (32 points) and Jalen Johnson (28 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists) keeping Atlanta in the game. Milwaukee’s lead ballooned to 23, but the Hawks went on an 18-4 run to make it a single-digit contest.

“In crunch time, the game developed into a real shootout,” said Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer.

With the game on the line, it was Alexander-Walker and Milwaukee’s AJ Green and Bobby Portis trading threes. Alexander-Walker cut the deficit to one with 11 seconds remaining, but Ryan Rollins hit one of two free throws to make it 112-110.

Trailing by two, McCollum had a chance to tie but was denied by solid defense from Kuzma, sealing the victory for the Bucks.

Bucks Close in on Playoff Spot

The victory moves the Bucks within half a game of the tenth-seeded Charlotte Hornets in the East. Atlanta drops to 20-25 with their fourth straight loss.

Did you know?

• Giannis Antetokounmpo has recorded 20 points and 15 rebounds in five consecutive games, the longest streak of his career.
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 32 points were a season-high, eclipsing his previous best of 27 points.

Up Next

The Bucks travel to Chicago to face the Bulls on January 18, while the Hawks host the Miami Heat on the same day.