Milwaukee BucksOpen full analysis
Washington WizardsOpen full analysis
The Washington Wizards edged the Milwaukee Bucks 129–126 on December 1 at Capital One Arena in a tightly contested matchup that stayed close throughout. CJ McCollum led Washington with 28 points, supported by Marvin Bagley III's 22 points, while Khris Middleton Jr. paced Milwaukee with 30 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 26. The Wizards' fourth-quarter surge proved decisive, outscoring the Bucks 38–32 in the final period to secure the one-possession victory. Washington shot 52 percent from the field and made 13 three-pointers, while Milwaukee countered with 54.8 percent shooting and 21 made threes—a sign of balanced offensive execution despite the loss. The Wizards' defense held firm down the stretch, recording 9 steals and limiting turnovers to 10, whereas Milwaukee committed 16 turnovers that contributed to their narrow defeat. Both teams posted nearly identical offensive ratings (123.3 vs. 123.2), but Washington's defensive discipline in crunch time made the difference. The result gives Washington momentum in the conference race while Milwaukee faces questions about closing consistency.
