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Milwaukee, WI

Sixers let 10-point second-half lead slip away in loss to Milwaukee Bucks

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Sixers let 10-point second-half lead slip away in loss to Milwaukee Bucks


MILWAUKEE — The Sixers turned to hack-a-Giannis with less than a minute remaining, as a last-ditch effort to manufacture more time to close the gap.

Instead, the two-time MVP used the free-throw stripe to finish off a 32-point performance, and a comeback victory for his Bucks.

The Sixers let a 10-point second-half lead slip in a 114-105 heartbreaking loss Thursday night at Fiserv Forum, but flashed the level of intensity that coach Nick Nurse desires while continuing to play without reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid.

“We’re heading in the right direction,” added All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, who finished with 30 points on 5-of-9 shooting from deep in his second game back from a concussion. “That’s two out of three games on the road that we were extremely aggressive.

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“I think that we hit first in both of those games, and we’ve got to take it and built on that.”

It was the Sixers’ fifth loss in their past six games, while completing a 1-2 road trip against opponents in the top 4 of the Eastern Conference standings. It also came against a potential playoff foe; these two teams would meet in the first round if the season had ended Thursday. The loss dropped the Sixers (36-30) to seventh place, but three games now separate the fourth and eighth spots entering Friday.

And though Thursday’s win gave the Bucks a 3-0 regular-season series sweep, two of those were played without Embiid, whom the Sixers remain hopeful would be back from knee surgery for a postseason matchup.

The Sixers surrendered control of the game in the fourth quarter, when Milwaukee staged a 16-3 run to take a 98-90 lead on a finish by Antetokounmpo (who also finished with 11 rebounds and seven assists) with less than six minutes to play. The Sixers cut the lead to 102-99 on a Tobias Harris pull-up jumper with 3:06 remaining, before another Antetokounmpo bucket pushed the Bucks (43-24) back ahead by two possessions. Damian Lillard followed with a baseline jumper, and Brook Lopez sank a three-pointer to make the score 109-101 with about a 1:08 left.

After failing to reach 80 points in two consecutive games at the New York Knicks, the Sixers shot 50% from the field, including 17-of-35 from three-point range. They also scored 23 points off 15 Bucks turnovers — an emphasis of coach Doc Rivers during his pregame news conference — though 17 of those points came in the first half.

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Milwaukee used a three-point barrage — including a go-ahead bomb by former Sixer Patrick Beverley — to turn a double-digit third-quarter deficit into a 76-75 advantage. But Maxey answered with a driving finish, before a KJ Martin bucket and another Maxey score gave the Sixers the advantage back entering the final period.

The Sixers led by as many as 12 points in the first half, largely thanks to an 11-point burst by Payne in the second quarter. Milwaukee then closed the gap to 55-51 on a Jae Crowder three-pointer in the second quarter’s final minute, before a Maxey three-pointer and a Nico Batum jumper right before the buzzer gave the Sixers a 61-53 lead heading into the locker room.

» READ MORE: How Nick Nurse is imploring the Sixers to ‘fight’ while shorthanded

The Sixers return home for two games against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday and Miami Heat on Monday, before embarking on a four-game Western Conference road trip to the Phoenix Suns (Wednesday), Los Angeles Lakers (March 22), Los Angeles Clippers (March 24), and Sacramento Kings (March 25).



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Milwaukee, WI

Bucks draft Burries, Ament after Giannis trade: 'We're building'

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Bucks draft Burries, Ament after Giannis trade: 'We're building'


With the trade of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat not yet official, Bucks GM Jon Horst declined to talk specifics — but repeatedly emphasized “a theme of building” after the team drafted Brayden Burries and Nate Ament on Tuesday night.



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Milwaukee, WI

Racine’s Greek community reflects on Giannis’ celebration of Greek culture

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Racine’s Greek community reflects on Giannis’ celebration of Greek culture


RACINE — Members of Racine’s Greek community are processing the news of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade from the Milwaukee Bucks — and the timing hits especially hard, just days before Greek Fest at Kimissis Greek Orthodox Church.

Tents are going up in the parking lot, rides are being assembled, and the kitchen is already busy with preparations for the annual celebration of Greek culture in Racine. But amid the excitement, the news of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade from the Milwaukee Bucks is on the minds of some church members.

Joyce Muffoletto, secretary at Kimissis tid Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church in Racine, said the news took some of the joy out of her Tuesday.

Watch: Racine’s Greek community discusses what Giannis meant to them:

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Racine’s Greek community reflects on Giannis’ celebration of Greek culture

“Yeah, that puts a damper on everything,” Muffoletto said.

Giannis, who was born and raised in Athens, Greece, earned the nickname “the Greek Freak” during his time with the Bucks. For Muffoletto, his Greek heritage made her a fan.

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“Oh, of course,” she said with a laugh.

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“I’m a pretty reserved, quiet person, but my husband had to go to a different level in the house because I’d be screaming at the TV when he was playing, you know, I’d be like, ‘Giannis! Giannis!’” Muffoletto said.

While Muffoletto made it to multiple Greek night games with the Bucks, she said what she will miss most goes beyond Giannis’s performance on the court.

“It’ll be hard to replace him. And more than him the player, kind of, him the person,” said Muffoletto, referring to the impact Giannis had on the Milwaukee community.

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Church member Mary Luccas said she is not a big basketball fan, but she holds Giannis in high regard for the values he represents.

“We will be sad to lose that, but he set a really good foundation going forward,” Luccas said. “And he will be doing the same thing wherever he goes, because it’s just the quality of person that he is.”

Mary Luccas

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Luccas said Giannis and his family have embodied Greek values throughout his time in Wisconsin.

“Family centered. Philoxenia. The friendship, the love. The doors are open. They welcome everybody,” Luccas said.

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“He embraces the Greek culture, like we embrace the Greek culture. And he celebrates Greece and his Greek culture,” Luccas said. “So wherever he is, it will be a celebration of his Greek heritage.”

And while the loyalty to the Bucks remains, Muffoletto acknowledged the bittersweet reality.

“I’ll be loyal, but it’s a bit of a loss,” Muffoletto said.

Racine’s Greek Fest runs Friday through Sunday at 1335 S. Green Bay Road.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee residents react to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s legacy before trade goes through

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Milwaukee residents react to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s legacy before trade goes through


MILWAUKEE — Fans in Milwaukee are waking up to the news that Giannis Antetokounmpo has been traded, ending a 13-year run with the Bucks that included a championship in 2021.

The news of the trade broke late last night, and fans have mixed emotions about the move.

Before the trade happened, TMJ4 spoke with fans in Milwaukee about what they wanted to see happen.

Some fans were focused on what the Bucks could get in return.

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Alonna Johnson

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“If he gets traded, we get like some valuable pieces for him at least. I don’t want Bam Adebayo. I want Tyler Herro because he’s from Milwaukee so you know he’s a hooper they can keep bound,” Khorey said.

Others acknowledged Antetokounmpo’s impact even without following the sport closely.

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“I’m not a basketball fan myself but I know who Giannis is. And that says someone whose background is theater. We got a championship from him,” Halana said.

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A mural created in honor of Antetokounmpo’s achievements on and off the court now stands as a reminder of his legacy in the city.

For those who predicted Antetokounmpo could be traded — they were correct.

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“I don’t like to see him get traded. I don’t like that. But the franchise is not big enough. Giannis needs to move in another direction,” Scheila said.

Not everyone was ready to accept the change.

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Alonna Johnson

“Not saying that there’s anything wrong with anybody else, but Giannis is like the Bucks. So I would prefer if he didn’t because it’s just going to be weird. And then it’s like, who can follow in those big old footsteps,” Nariah said.

We’ll continue to bring you updates on the trade on-air and online.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.


Let’s talk:

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Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.


It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.

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