In their first game out of the all-star break, the Wizards’ furious rally falls short despite 22 points from rookie Alex Sarr

With a strong contest from Kyle Kuzma, Middleton missed the off-balance 3-pointer that would have tied the game, just as Antetokounmpo — for the first time in his NBA career — had hoped and Milwaukee pulled out a 104-101 victory over Washington. The Bucks’ third consecutive win moved them within a half-game of the Pacers for the East’s No. 4 seed.

Khris Middleton played the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time on Friday since a trade deadline deal sent him to the Washington Wizards for a package centered around Kyle Kuzma. The trade brought the end of the longtime partnership between Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo,