Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have struggled so far in the 2025–26 NBA season. It started well for the team, as it won four of its first five games in the campaign, but months later, the Bucks welcomed 2026 with just a 14-20 record.
The margin for error is shrinking fast for the Bucks, and nights like Wednesday don’t help. As detailed by Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Milwaukee let a three-point lead slip away in the final 33.2 seconds against Washington, as CJ McCollum hit two late shots and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s final attempt rolled off the rim.
For the Bucks to achieve their dual goals of reaching the playoffs and keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo happy enough to avoid a trade demand, they can’t afford many more losses like the one they had Wednesday night against Washington.
The Milwaukee Bucks had a tough way to end 2025 on Wednesday night. Milwaukee entered its game against the visiting Washington Wizards at Fiserv Forum hoping to bid 2025 goodbye with a victory and on a three-game winning streak.
Part of what makes the NBA, or any pro sports league, so compelling to watch is the narratives, especially those centered on rivalries. Throughout the decades, the NBA has fostered a number of rivalries, some long-lasting and others short but sweet.
Giannis Antetokounmpo put himself front and center after the Milwaukee Bucks’ 114–113 loss to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, showing the accountability expected from a team’s superstar.
The Washington Wizards stunned the Milwaukee Bucks 114-113 when CJ McCollum hit a game-winning shot in the final seconds in front of a stunned crowd at the Fiserv Forum.
The Milwaukee Bucks will have to look to 2026 for their first three-game winning streak of the season, as they lost 114-113 to the Washington Wizards for the second time this month.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks faced off against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night for both teams’ final game in 2025. It was the third time in the 2025-26 NBA season that Milwaukee and Washington battled against each other, and it was also another opportunity for former Bucks star Khris Middleton to play at Fiserv Forum.
Since returning in mid-December from what was labeled a shoulder contusion, Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green has not looked the same. Outside of one 20-point eruption, he has not been able to re-establish a rhythm.
In a 114-113 loss to one of the worst teams in the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks blew a 3-point lead in the final 33 seconds, allowing a go-ahead basket with one tick to go.
The Milwaukee Bucks squandered a 3-point lead in the final 30 seconds to lose to the Wizards, 114-113, in painfully poetic fashion at the buzzer. The loss dropped them to 14-20 on the year after they came in as 10.5-point favorites over a 7-24 opponent.
Turns out that a single superstar can't solve everything. The Milwaukee Bucks had looked better since the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo, until Wednesday.
Out of all teams that have given the Milwaukee Bucks trouble, the Washington Wizards have seemingly given them the most, beating Milwaukee 114-113 in their second win over the Bucks this season.
With victories over Indiana and Charlotte, the Milwaukee Bucks won consecutive games for the first time since October. Now, they have a chance to win three straight for the first time this season.
The Milwaukee Bucks started the season strong but have quickly faded into a scuffling squad. The Bucks were 4-1 but subsequently have lost 18 of 28 games and are mired outside the final Play-In spot.
The Miami Heat might be in prime position to land the most favorable trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo. If the Milwaukee Bucks hold off on moving Giannis until after the season, it could play directly into Miami’s hands.
Former NBA guard Austin Rivers revisited a formative lesson from his father, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers, while reflecting on a late-game moment involving Giannis Antetokounmpo.