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

When the Milwaukee Bucks traded away star forward Khris Middleton, it was one of the toughest days that the franchise had seen in a long time. Middleton was a staple of the Bucks organization and the decision to move him was a hard one.

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.