Bucks Escape Atlanta with Nail-Biting Win on MLK Day 112-110
For a team trying to find its footing, style points don’t matter nearly as much as the result. On Monday afternoon, the Milwaukee Bucks didn’t paint a masterpiece, but they managed to secure the only thing that counted: a W.
In a game that swung violently from dominance to near-disaster, Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 21 points and 17 rebounds as Milwaukee snapped a frustrating three-game losing skid, holding off a furious rally by the Atlanta Hawks to win 112-110.
It was a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup that lived up to the emotional weight of the holiday, played in the city King called home. But for Milwaukee, the holiday matinee almost turned into a horror movie. After building a commanding 23-point lead in the second half, the Bucks watched it evaporate in the fourth quarter, forcing them to execute with their backs against the wall in the final sixty seconds.
A Tale of Two Halves for the Bucks
For the first 24 minutes, the Bucks looked like the contenders they expect to be. They stifled Atlanta defensively, holding the Hawks to a miserable start from beyond the arc (missing their first 21 three-point attempts). Milwaukee carried a comfortable 54-38 lead into the break, and when that lead ballooned to 74-51 midway through the third, it looked like Doc Rivers could rest his starters for the fourth.
But in the NBA, no lead is safe. The Hawks, fueled by a raucous State Farm Arena crowd, finally woke up. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who led all scorers with 32 points, caught fire. Beside him, Jalen Johnson was a force of nature, racking up 28 points and 16 boards. Slowly, then all at once, the momentum shifted.
When Johnson drilled a three-pointer with 1:11 remaining in the game, the unthinkable happened: Atlanta took a 105-104 lead. The collapse seemed complete. The narrative of a “broken” team was ready to be written.
Clutch Shooting Saves the Day
That is when the Bucks showed the resilience that has been missing during their recent slide. Instead of folding, they punched back.
AJ Green and Bobby Portis, who provided a massive spark off the bench with 19 points, knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to stop the bleeding. Then, it was Giannis doing what Giannis does—powering through the lane for a crucial bucket to make it 109-105 with 36 seconds left.
Atlanta had one final gasp. After Alexander-Walker hit yet another shot to keep it close, the Hawks had possession with a chance to win or tie. The ball found CJ McCollum, a veteran you usually trust in those moments. But the pressure of the Bucks’ defense held; McCollum bobbled the handle and was forced into a desperate, off-balance heave that clanged off the iron as the buzzer sounded.
Lineup Shakeups Pay Dividends
Head coach Doc Rivers wasn’t afraid to pull levers to shake the team out of its funk. In a significant move, Kevin Porter Jr. was moved to the bench in favor of Kyle Kuzma. The decision was rooted in size—Rivers wanted a bigger lineup to combat Atlanta’s athleticism.
The gamble largely paid off. While Porter Jr. admitted he had a “rough January,” he responded well to the demotion, contributing nine points, seven assists, and six rebounds in 28 minutes. But the story of the second unit was Bobby Portis. Continuing his campaign as one of the league’s best reserves, Portis was efficient and energetic, finishing a team-high +6 in a game decided by two points.
Moving Forward
This wasn’t a perfect win. Blowing a 23-point lead is a concern that the coaching staff will undoubtedly address in the film room. However, stopping a losing streak requires grit more than perfection.
“Good team win,” the Bucks’ social media account posted simply after the game. It was an understatement. In the context of the standings and the team’s psyche, it was a necessary survival act.
The road doesn’t get easier for Milwaukee. They return to Wisconsin to host the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. If they want to compete with the champs, they’ll need to play like the team that built the 23-point lead—not the one that almost gave it away.
