Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks: A Martin Luther King Jr. Day Showdown
In a nail-biting Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup, the Atlanta Hawks battled fiercely against the Milwaukee Bucks but ultimately fell short, suffering a narrow 112-110 defeat. The game witnessed the Hawks struggle significantly with their shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, as they missed their initial 21 three-point attempts, nearly heading into halftime without hitting a single shot from long range.
Despite this disastrous shooting spell, the Hawks managed to find some momentum late in the first half. C.J. McCollum’s last-minute three-pointer allowed the team to end the half with a 1-for-22 record from three-point range, contributing to a disappointing 38 points while trailing 54-38 at the break.
Second Half Comeback
The tide began to turn for Atlanta after the halftime break, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker leading the charge. Although he struggled initially, going 0-for-7 in the first half from three-point territory, he rebounded strongly and finished the game with an impressive 32 points, hitting 7 of 16 attempts overall. Thanks to their improved shooting in the second half, the Hawks connected on 11 of 20 three-pointers, ending the game with a total of 12 successful shots out of 42 attempts from downtown.
Clutch Moments and Missed Opportunities
As the game neared its conclusion, Atlanta managed to claw back into contention, taking a fleeting 105-104 lead following a clutch three-pointer by Jalen Johnson with just over a minute left on the clock. With only 12 seconds remaining and the Hawks down by two, they had a chance to either equalize or win the game. However, McCollum mishandled the ball under pressure and ended up taking a contested shot from the elbow that fell short, sealing the fate of the Hawks as the Bucks held on for the victory.
Reflections on the Game
Although the Atlanta Hawks avoided the embarrassment of setting a negative shooting record—like the 0-for-22 performance by the 2012-13 Denver Nuggets or the staggering 27 missed attempts by the Houston Rockets in a critical playoff game against the Warriors in 2018—the defeat left them pondering what could have been if their shooting had not started so poorly.
