Basketball is a game of inches, and honestly, the Bucks vs Hornets last game on January 2nd, 2026, was the living proof of that. You've got the Milwaukee Bucks, struggling to find their rhythm mid-season, and the Charlotte Hornets, a young squad that just won't quit. When these two met at the Fiserv Forum, nobody expected a record-breaking night that would end with a literal last-second heartbreaker.
Milwaukee escaped with a 122-121 victory.
But saying they "won" doesn't really capture the chaos. The lead changed hands three times in the final 10 seconds. Imagine the tension. One second, Kyle Kuzma is hitting a clutch three-pointer to put the Bucks up. The next, Miles Bridges is driving to the rack, getting the bucket, drawing the foul, and putting Charlotte back in the driver's seat. It was a rollercoaster that left the Milwaukee crowd breathless and the Hornets wondering what they have to do to catch a break.
The Historic Night of Giannis Antetokounmpo
The headline of the Bucks vs Hornets last game wasn't just the score. It was the history. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished the night with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. On paper, that’s just another Tuesday for the Greek Freak.
However, this specific stat line marked his 158th career game with at least 30-10-5.
With that performance, Giannis officially moved past Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most such games in NBA history. He is now alone at the top. It’s wild to think we’re watching a guy surpass legends like Kareem in real-time. Doc Rivers, who also moved into sole possession of sixth place on the all-time coaching wins list recently, basically just let Giannis be Giannis when the game was on the line.
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The game-winner was vintage Milwaukee. Down by one with less than five seconds left, Kevin Porter Jr. lofted a perfect lob toward the rim. Giannis soared, caught it, and flushed it down with 4.7 seconds on the clock. 122-121. Game over? Not quite.
Charlotte’s Near-Miracle and the Brandon Miller Miss
Charlotte still had a pulse.
LaMelo Ball, who had a bit of a quiet scoring night with 12 points but dished out 7 assists, inbounded the ball to Brandon Miller. Miller has been the spark for this Hornets team all season, coming off a 31-point game against Milwaukee just five days prior. He took a contested, driving finger-roll layup as the buzzer sounded.
It hit the backboard. It rattled the rim. It didn't go in.
The Hornets fell to 11-23, which is a bit of a shame considering how well their young core is playing. Kon Knueppel, the hometown hero from Milwaukee, led Charlotte with 26 points. Seeing a local kid come back and nearly torch his former idols is exactly why we watch the NBA.
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Key Stats from the Bucks vs Hornets Last Game
If you're a box score junkie, the numbers from this matchup tell a story of two very different strategies. Milwaukee relied on their stars and a massive bench performance, while Charlotte used their speed to keep the game a track meet.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo: 30 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST (The record-breaker).
- Ryan Rollins: 29 PTS (The absolute X-factor for Milwaukee).
- Kon Knueppel: 26 PTS (Leading the way for Charlotte).
- Miles Bridges: 25 PTS, 6 REB (Almost the hero with that late and-one).
- Team Shooting: Milwaukee shot 48.8% from the field, while Charlotte actually outshot them from deep, hitting 45% of their threes.
The Bucks were actually outrebounded 39-31, which is kinda crazy when you have Giannis on your team. It shows that Charlotte’s small-ball lineup, featuring Tidjane Salaün and PJ Hall, was scrappy enough to cause problems in the paint.
Why This Matchup is Becoming a Rivalry
You might not think of Milwaukee and Charlotte as a "rivalry," but the Bucks vs Hornets last game was the second time they played in less than a week. On December 29th, the Bucks took them down 123-113.
There's a familiarity brewing here.
Charlotte is clearly tired of being the "talented but losing" team. They play Milwaukee tough every single time. Earlier in the season, back in November, they even pushed the Bucks into an overtime thriller where Giannis had to drop 18 assists just to stay alive.
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The Bucks are currently 15-20. That's not where a championship contender wants to be in January. Every win is a grind right now. This win over the Hornets was supposed to be a "get right" game, but instead, it turned into a dogfight that required a historic performance to escape.
What to Watch for Next
If you're following these teams, the takeaway is clear: the Bucks' defense is still a work in progress. Giving up 121 points to a sub-.500 team isn't great. However, the emergence of Ryan Rollins as a legitimate scoring threat (29 points!) gives Milwaukee some much-needed depth while they wait for their roster to fully gel.
For the Hornets, it’s about finishing. They have the talent. Brandon Miller looks like a future All-Star, and Kon Knueppel is a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate. They just need to learn how to close out those one-possession games against elite competition.
Actionable Insights for NBA Fans:
- Monitor Ryan Rollins: He is seeing increased usage in Milwaukee’s system. If you play fantasy basketball, he’s a "must-add" if he’s still on your waiver wire.
- Betting Trends: The "Over" has hit in three of the last four matchups between these two teams. When they play, defense usually stays on the bus.
- Giannis Watch: We are officially in the "Legacy Era" for Giannis. Every 30-10-5 game from here on out just extends a record that might never be broken.
The Bucks vs Hornets last game was more than just a regular-season win for Milwaukee; it was a reminder that in the modern NBA, no lead is safe, and no record is permanent. Keep an eye on the injury report for Miles Bridges, who took a hard fall late in the game, as his availability will dictate if Charlotte can turn their season around before the All-Star break.