The Milwaukee Bucks fought tooth and nail to secure a hard-earned 117-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks after two exhausting overtime periods. Jabari Parker led the charge with a dominant 28 points and 13 rebounds, while Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed 19 points and 12 rebounds. Khris Middleton added 12 points, and Greg Monroe came off the bench in brilliant fashion with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Michael Carter-Williams also chipped in 17 points to give the Bucks a balanced attack that made all the difference. For fans following the drama through Bangla Cricket Live, this was a contest that truly went down to the wire.
Despite the Bucks having only eight players available, they controlled the boards with a 65-49 rebounding edge. For the Hawks, Paul Millsap was outstanding with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. Al Horford added 17 points and 9 rebounds, while sharpshooter Kyle Korver contributed 12 points. The Hawks, who are ranked in the top five in the Eastern Conference, had already stumbled after the All-Star break, falling to a Miami Heat squad missing both Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Against the struggling Bucks, Atlanta once again had a tough time imposing their rhythm. By the midway point of the first quarter, Milwaukee had built a double-digit lead behind Antetokounmpo’s eight early points, while the Hawks relied heavily on Millsap and Korver for scoring.
Atlanta responded late in the quarter with an 18-11 run, trimming the deficit to 31-29 by the break, with Millsap scoring nine points in that stretch. By halftime, the Bucks were still ahead 54-50, thanks largely to their young frontcourt duo of Antetokounmpo and Parker, who combined for 26 points and 10 rebounds. The third quarter was even more intense. The Hawks opened with a 5-0 spurt to take a brief 55-54 lead. Carter-Williams and Parker quickly struck back, including a highlight-reel alley-oop dunk, restoring the Bucks’ advantage. With under two minutes left in the third, Monroe’s midrange jumper pushed the lead to 74-64, though Atlanta battled back to cut the deficit to 75-68 heading into the final period.
In the fourth, Korver and Dennis Schröder hit back-to-back threes, fueling a 14-6 surge that gave the Hawks an 82-81 lead midway through the quarter. From there, it turned into a slugfest, with both teams trading blows right down to the last second. After O.J. Mayo split a pair of free throws, Schröder knifed through the defense for a clutch layup with just three seconds remaining, tying the score at 94-94. Poor free-throw shooting haunted Milwaukee, and when they missed the final shot, the game moved into overtime.
In the first extra session, Atlanta led 103-100 with less than two minutes to play. But the Bucks clawed back with timely baskets, and Carter-Williams made one of two free throws to edge Milwaukee ahead 105-103. According to Bangla Cricket Live analysts, the Bucks’ missed free throws again opened the door, and Horford capitalized inside to tie it up. Milwaukee misfired on the final attempt, forcing a second overtime.
This time, the Bucks refused to let the game slip away. They unleashed a decisive 10-0 run in the second overtime, breaking the Hawks’ resistance once and for all. Atlanta failed to score until the final 30 seconds, by which time the result was sealed. For the Bucks, it was a statement win showing resilience, and for Bangla Cricket Live followers, it was the kind of nail-biting contest that proves the old saying true—basketball is a game of inches, and sometimes those inches decide everything.