Hawks beat slumping Bucks 131-113 to win 5th straight and climb above .500

The Atlanta Hawks continued their impressive surge with a dominant 131-113 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, extending their winning streak to five games and climbing above .500 for the first time since mid-December. The Hawks (32-31) showcased their resilience by overcoming an early 16-point deficit to secure a convincing road victory.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks’ offensive charge with 23 points, while Onyeka Okongwu contributed 21 points and Jalen Johnson added 20 points with nine assists. The balanced scoring attack proved too much for a struggling Milwaukee team that has now lost four consecutive games by a combined 97 points.

Second-half dominance seals the victory

After trailing by as much as 16 points early in the game, Atlanta found their rhythm in the second half, outscoring Milwaukee 65-42 over the final two quarters. The turning point came in the third quarter when the Hawks opened with a 10-0 run to take control of the game for good.

Milwaukee’s offensive struggles were evident as they managed just two points in the first 5:56 of the third quarter after shooting over 60% in the first half. The Bucks (26-35) now find themselves five games behind both Atlanta and Charlotte in the Eastern Conference standings, with their playoff hopes fading rapidly.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points for Milwaukee in just his second game back from a right calf strain that sidelined him for five weeks. However, his frustration was visible late in the game when he received a technical foul for throwing the ball against the stanchion after Dyson Daniels extended Atlanta’s lead to 121-103.

Role players step up for Atlanta

The Hawks received significant contributions from their supporting cast, with Dyson Daniels recording 14 points and 10 rebounds, while CJ McCollum added 18 points. The team’s ball movement was exceptional, particularly in the first half where they dished out 17 assists and connected on 11 3-points while shooting 58% from beyond the arc.

Atlanta overcame the absence of Jonathan Kuminga, who was sidelined due to inflammation in his left knee. Milwaukee was also missing Kevin Porter Jr. because of swelling in his right knee, adding to their mounting injury concerns.

The Hawks will look to extend their winning streak when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, while the Bucks will attempt to snap their losing skid against the Utah Jazz at home.