By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Despite a dominant opening quarter fueled by sharp shooting, the Milwaukee Bucks and their Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo fell victim to a relentless Atlanta Hawks comeback on Wednesday. Securing a 131–113 victory at Fiserv Forum, the Hawks dealt a significant blow to Milwaukee’s postseason aspirations.
Continuing his return from injury under a strict minutes restriction, Antetokounmpo delivered 24 points, shooting 10-of-15 from two-point range and 4-of-8 from the free-throw line. In his 25 minutes on the floor, he also contributed five rebounds, four assists, and one steal. With the visitors at a safe distance and his frustration mounting late in the fourth quarter, the 31-year-old point forward was issued a technical foul for throwing the ball at the stanchion.
“I’d rather have the emotions than none,” noted head coach Doc Rivers in a postgame press conference. “He was frustrated. Everyone was frustrated.”
The loss drops the Bucks to a 26–35 record for the 2025–26 NBA Regular Season. Milwaukee now finds itself five games behind the final Eastern Conference Play-In spot, a daunting gap as the season nears its final stretch.
French starter Ousmane Dieng cited a lack of communication as the primary reason for the latest losing effort. “If we want to switch one through four or one through five, we have to have better communication on the screens and on everything,” he explained after scoring 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting, alongside four rebounds in 26 minutes of action.
Coming off the bench, Thanasis Antetokounmpo notched one block and one steal in a limited appearance. Meanwhile, the youngest brother, Alex, remained unavailable for the contest as he continues his G League assignment with the Wisconsin Herd.
On the winning side, young French forward Zaccharie Risacher was lethal from deep, connecting on four triples to reach 12 points, while adding four rebounds and two steals in just 20 minutes.