The Milwaukee Bucks squandered a 21-point lead and fell to the Atlanta Hawks 115-110 on Friday night, marking a tough start for Kyle Kuzma in his debut with the team.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 24 points and seven assists, helping the Hawks overcome a sluggish second quarter to snap a five-game home losing streak.
Mouhamed Gueye recorded season highs with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks, while Dyson Daniels added 15 points and 10 assists.
Milwaukee dominated the second quarter, scoring 47 points while hitting their first 10 three-pointers to tie the franchise record for most threes in a quarter.
Bobby Portis had 26 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, but they struggled in the second half, managing just 37 points combined in the third and fourth quarters.
Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his third straight game due to left calf tightness, leaving Milwaukee without its star forward.
Damian Lillard came close to a triple-double with 23 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds but shot just 7-of-19 from the field.
Kuzma, playing his first game since being acquired from Washington, finished with 12 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes, scoring all of his points in the first half.
Atlanta entered the game short-handed as newly acquired players Caris LeVert, Terance Mann, and Georges Niang were unavailable following trade deadline moves.
Despite trailing by 21 points in the second quarter, the Hawks responded with a dominant third quarter, outscoring the Bucks 37-17 to take control.
Zaccharie Risacher chipped in 13 points, while Onyeka Okongwu added 14 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta.
The Bucks had an opportunity to regain the lead late in the fourth but struggled to execute, scoring just 20 points in the final period.
Lillard missed a potential game-tying three-pointer with under a minute left, allowing the Hawks to seal the win at the free-throw line.
Milwaukee has now lost five of its last six games, raising concerns about their form as the playoff race intensifies.
