Atlanta erased a 23-point deficit and took a 105-104 lead with 1:10 remaining. The Hawks’ C.J. McCollum missed a heavily defended shot with 2.5 seconds left that would have forced overtime.
Antetokounmpo posted his 15th double-double of the season and added six assists. Bobby Portis scored 19, including a 3-pointer that put the Bucks ahead to stay with 54.8 seconds remaining. A.J. Green scored 18 and matched his season high with six 3-pointers.
Atlanta was led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker with 32 points, including seven 3-pointers, and Jalen Johnson with 28 points and 16 rebounds, his 28th double-double this season. McCollum and Dyson Daniels both scored 17. The Hawks have lost four in a row.
The Bucks led 20-19 after the first period and wasted no time building their lead to 20 on Antetokounmpo’s dunk, part of his 14 first-half points, at 5:08 that made it 45-25.
The Bucks led 54-38 at the break thanks largely to their outside shooting. Milwaukee was 8 of 20 on 3-pointers in the first half, while Atlanta missed its first 21 shots from distance before McCollum connected to end the drought with 27.2 seconds remaining in the half.
Milwaukee expanded the lead to 23 at 74-51 on Green’s 3-pointer at 6:52 of the third, only to have Atlanta respond with a 10-0 run. The Hawks cut their deficit to eight on three free throws from Alexander-Walker with 1.9 seconds remaining to make it 80-72 going into the fourth.
The Hawks again played without starters Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendinitis) and Zaccharie Risacher (left knee bone contusion). The club said both would be re-evaluated in a week, meaning they will miss at least the next two games.
It was the first of the teams’ three meetings. They play again March 4 in Milwaukee.
