Novak Djokovic ended Aslan Karatsev's dream run to reach his ninth Australian Open final on Thursday.
Djokovic, who has been dealing with an abdominal injury in Melbourne, brushed past qualifier Karatsev 6-3 6-4 6-2 in their semi-final on Rod Laver Arena.
The world number one has won the Australian Open every time he has reached the semi-finals, and he is on track again ahead of facing either Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's decider.
Djokovic moved into his 28th grand slam final – a tally bettered only by Roger Federer (31) – as he targets an 18th major title.
Karatsev held his own in the early baseline exchanges and dug himself out of a 0-30 hole in the sixth game.
But he could not deny Djokovic in his next service game, broken to love when he pulled a backhand wide as the Serbian won 10 straight points and the set.
Djokovic broke again in the third game of the second set following a Karatsev double fault, and a fortunate net cord saw him into a 4-1 lead as he took complete control.
Karatsev got one of the breaks back and pushed for the other, but Djokovic – who had won all 19 of his previous meetings with qualifiers at grand slams – closed out the second set.
Just as Karatsev seemed to be working his way back into the contest and the duo exchanged breaks to begin the third, Djokovic took a 3-2 lead as he won the final four games of the match.
Data Slam: Age still no barrier for Djokovic
Djokovic became the first man in the Open Era to reach three Australian Open finals after turning 30. The 33-year-old has dominated in Melbourne, and his run continues.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 30/14
Karatsev – 24/30
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 17/2
Karatsev – 6/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 6/7
Karatsev – 2/5
Joel Embiid led the Philadelphia 76ers to victory over the Houston Rockets despite a back issue but is not alarmed by the ongoing injury.
All-Star center Embiid has been dealing with back tightness since a fall in the win against the Los Angeles Lakers in January, though he has only missed two games.
With Ben Simmons sitting out against the Rockets due to illness, Embiid was keen to take part against the Rockets on Wednesday and he put up 31 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.
It was the 26-year-old's 12th straight game with at least 25 points, joining Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain as the only 76ers players to achieve that feat.
Philadelphia led by 26 points at halftime but Houston cut the deficit to four during the final quarter, meaning Embiid was on the floor a lot longer than he had initially planned.
"It was pretty tight, but I just wanted to make sure we got the win and that's all that matters," said Embiid.
"I wanted to give it a shot for five more minutes [in the second half], obviously things changed and I had to adjust to it but the whole game it was pretty tight. But I'll be fine.
"It's not alarming. As NBA players we're playing every single night and the body is sore, you've just got to take care of yourself. It's normal.
"It's tightness. Some days its tighter than usual, some days it's not. After the [Phoenix] Suns game it got tighter than usual and today when we started it was tighter than usual, so it's just some days and I've just got to go home and continue to do what I've been doing and I'll be fine."
The 76ers had 13 turnovers in the second half and Embiid accounted for five of those. It took the team's total for the game to 20.
"They started making some shots, we had a couple turnovers – especially me," Embiid said when asked to explain the Rockets' resurgence.
"We had a stretch where at least six possessions in a row we had nothing going on and they just came back down the other end and just started making shots.
"We've just got to learn how to close games when needed. There's a lot to learn but we got the win."
Head coach Doc Rivers added: "It just got sloppy. It happens. We had a big lead, probably didn't have a lot left in the tank.
"We really had some unforced turnovers, which you don't like. Teams like Houston are going to keep throwing the ball at the rim and if you turn the ball over you're going to allow them back in the game.
"I don't think it was the pressure it was more us and we had a lot of self-inflicted wounds."
Embiid also praised Matisse Thybulle, who thrived in the zone defense despite the absence of Simmons and had a game-high four steals.
"When you've got Matisse in the game, I feel like that's our best defense. He gets his hands on everything," said Embiid.
"I think he has the potential to be the best defender in the league, just the way he moves, the way he wins on defense. He's got great hands, so that's one of the reasons why we do it.
"We did it in Indiana in that fourth quarter and he completely changed the game and tonight we basically did it the whole game, he was all over the place.
"I think he has a chance, especially when it comes to All-NBA Defensive Teams."
LeBron James doesn't yet look close to being ready to end his basketball career, but he's already planning his next career move.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar James is considering moving into the music business.
The four-time NBA champion has a contract until the end of the 2022-23 season, by which time he will be 38 years old.
James is hoping he can move from producing the goods on the court to producing in the studio but is not planning on rapping himself.
The 16-time All-Star would instead look to rope in friends to help with vocals, but said he was just "thinking out loud".
"My love for music is INSANE!!! I think I'm going to do an album," tweeted James.
"Oh no I won't be rapping or anything like that. I'm not crazy, I know what I'm great at, but I tell you one thing I do have; so many friends that can [rap]!"
LeBron already has experience in the music business, having been an executive producer on 2 Chainz's album 'Rap or Go to the League'.
There is no doubt James' attention will be solely on basketball on Thursday, though, with the Lakers entertaining the Brooklyn Nets.
It remains to be seen whether Serena Williams returns to contest the Australian Open in 2022 but amid long-term doubts, Naomi Osaka said "I want her to play forever".
Williams' long-standing bid to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 grand slam titles was put on hold by three-time major champion Osaka, who overpowered the American superstar 6-3 6-4 in the blockbuster Australian Open semi-final.
Not since claiming the 2017 Australian Open trophy has Williams celebrated a slam crown, and the 39-year-old is not getting any younger as she faded into the Melbourne shadows on Thursday.
Williams broke down in tears and cut short her news conference post-match, having been involved in an emotional moment on Rod Laver Arena, where the seven-time Australian Open champion held her hand on her chest and waved to the crowd.
Asked what it means to face Williams as the clock ticks on a legendary career, Osaka – who topped the veteran in the 2018 US Open final – told reporters: "It definitely means a lot.
"Every time I play her, I feel like it's something I'll definitely remember a lot.
"I don't know, it's kind of sad when you say it like that because for me, I want her to play forever. That's the little kid in me."
Japanese star and third seed Osaka will now face Jennifer Brady in Saturday's final as she eyes her second Australian Open crown.
Osaka has gone on to win the title each time after advancing past the round of 16 at a slam – 2018 US Open, 2019 Australian Open and 2020 US Open, while she is in the midst of a 20-match winning streak.
Asked what makes her so hard to beat in finals, Osaka added: "For me, I have this mentality that people don't remember the runners-up. You might, but the winner's name is the one that's engraved.
"I think I fight the hardest in the finals. I think that's where you sort of set yourself apart. It's the other person who won as many matches as you did. It's something that I think, it's like the biggest fight."
Joel Embiid's return fuelled the Philadelphia 76ers' to a drought-ending 118-113 win over the Houston Rockets in the NBA on Wednesday.
Embiid had scored 35 points in back-to-back games before back tightness caused him to miss Monday's defeat to the high-flying Utah Jazz – a third straight loss – but the three-time All Star came back in style.
The star center claimed a 31-point, 11-rebound double-double, adding nine assists, as the 76ers dug deep against the Rockets to condemn Houston to a seventh defeat in a row midweek.
Philadelphia's win improved the 76ers to 19-10 atop of the Eastern Conference, while Western Conference leaders the Jazz extended their winning run to nine games with a 114-96 triumph against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Jazz have won 20 of their past 21 games to set the pace in the NBA this season.
Elsewhere, the Portland Trail Blazers made it a 3-0 road trip with a 126-124 win against the New Orleans Pelicans as Damian Lillard scorched to 43 points and 16 assists after dropping the winning three-pointer in the final seconds.
Pelicans star Zion Williamson hit back with a career-high 36 points for the hosts, but Portland snatched a sixth consecutive win.
Jennifer Brady will contest her first grand slam final after outlasting Karolina Muchova at the Australian Open.
A beaten semi-finalist at last year's US Open, American Brady took down fellow seed Muchova 6-4 3-6 6-4 in Melbourne on Thursday.
In a nervy finish, Brady wasted four match points before converting the fifth to secure a showdown with former world number one and three-time slam champion Naomi Osaka in Saturday's decider.
Brady (26) had dropped the fewest games en route to the semis and the 22nd seed looked like the player to beat in the opening set on Rod Laver Arena.
Despite Muchova recovering from a slow start to level the set at 2-2, Brady was not to be denied behind a strong first serve, even though her unforced-error tally reached 17 compared to just eight on her opponent's racquet.
Just like she did when upstaging world number one Ash Barty in the quarter-finals, 25th seed Muchova composed herself against the high-octane Brady.
Settling into a rhythm, Muchova was almost flawless in the second set, which only featured once unforced error, while the Czech won all of her second-serve points as she only dropped one point on first serve.
Muchova's measured aggression troubled Brady as the semi-final clash headed to a tense decider.
But Brady managed to slow down and settle back into her stride, an early break securing the advantage that the 25-year-old never relinquished in an engrossing finish.
Data Slam: Another finals debutant
Brady is the seventh woman to make her debut in a grand slam final in the past nine majors, after Osaka (won 2018 US Open), Barty (won 2019 French Open), Marketa Vondrousova (lost 2019 French Open), Bianca Andreescu (won 2019 US Open), Sofia Kenin (won 2020 Australian Open) and Iga Swiatek (won 2020 Roland Garros).
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Brady – 20/38
Muchova – 21/29
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Brady – 8/2
Muchova – 1/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Brady – 3/3
Muchova – 3/7
Serena Williams refused to confirm whether she made her last Australian Open appearance after breaking down in tears and leaving her news conference following a semi-final defeat to Naomi Osaka.
Bidding to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 grand slam titles – having last won a major in 2017 – Williams was overpowered 6-3 6-4 by third seed Osaka in Melbourne on Thursday.
It was Williams' first semi-final defeat at the Australian Open following eight consecutive victories in the final four of the year's opening slam.
The 39-year-old American star cut an emotional figure afterwards on Rod Laver Arena, where she held her hand on her chest and waved to the crowd after fans were allowed to attend following a five-day coronavirus shutdown.
Asked about the moment, seven-time Australian Open champion Williams told reporters: "The Aussie crowd is so amazing, so it was nice to see."
When pressed if it was a Melbourne farewell, Williams replied: "I don't know. If I ever say farewell, I wouldn't tell anyone."
A tearful Williams then suddenly ended her news conference after being asked about the match.
Williams was visibly and vocally frustrated against Osaka after seeing an early 2-0 lead slip.
Osaka reeled off five consecutive games and six of the next seven to close out the set before taking complete control against the former world number one.
Williams finished with 24 unforced errors against the three-time slam champion and 2019 Australian Open winner.
At the start of her post-match duties, Williams said: "I wouldn't say I was nervous. The difference today was errors. I made so many errors today.
"Honestly, it was opportunities where I could have won. I could have been up five-love. I just made so many errors."
"I felt like I was hitting well," Williams added. "I was hitting well this whole tournament. Even the first couple games I played well. Even then I had so many opportunities.
"I don't know. Just made too many mistakes there, easy mistakes. Not like I was on the run or anything, they were just easy, easy mistakes."
Melbourne Storm great Cameron Smith will not play for Gold Coast Titans in the 2021 NRL season, according to Mal Meninga.
It remains to seen what the future holds for Smith, who is yet to publicly confirm his plans after guiding the Storm to premiership last year.
Out of contract following 18 years in Melbourne, Smith reportedly relocated to Queensland at the end of the season and the 37-year-old has been linked with the Titans as well as Brisbane Broncos.
With speculation mounting over Smith's status, his former State of Origin and Australia head coach Meninga – now head of performance and culture with the Titans – insisted the ex-Kangaroos skipper will not be moving to Gold Coast.
"I've not talked to Cameron. He's the hardest bloke to get hold of in the world," said Meninga.
"I've not spoken to him – not has anyone from the club.
"Everyone assumes he's coming to the Titans. I haven't talked to him, he's not on the radar.
"You should ask Kevvie [Broncos head coach Kevin Walters] about Cameron so I don't have to answer these questions anymore."
Broncos coach Walters could be an interested party were Smith to delay his retirement plans, but Meninga rubbished reports that emerged last week linking him with the Titans.
Meninga told the Courier Mail: "I don't have any idea what Cam is doing. I don't know if he's retiring.
"I'm in the dark like everyone else. But I know he won't be at the Titans."
Serena Williams' quest for a record-equalling 24th grand slam title has been delayed again after being overpowered 6-3 6-4 by third seed Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open semi-finals.
Stuck on 23 slam championships since reigning supreme at Melbourne Park in 2017, Williams was hoping to move within a step of matching Margaret Court's record.
But the 39-year-old former world number one was taken down by three-time major champion Osaka in a blockbuster battle of the big hitters on Thursday.
Japanese star Osaka will now face either Jennifer Brady or Karolina Muchova in Saturday's final as she eyes her second Australian Open crown.
Osaka – the youngest player remaining in the draw – initially struggled under the beaming Melbourne sun as fans returned to Rod Laver Arena following a five-day state-wide lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak.
She was in all sorts, struggling on serve and tallying five unforced errors through two forgettable games as Williams raced out to a 2-0 lead.
Osaka – boasting a 3-0 record in grand slam semis – faced a 30-40 deficit and potential 0-3 hole before digging deep to hold for the first time.
It proved to be a turning point for Osaka, who went on a roll by reeling off five successive games and six of the next seven to take complete control.
The tables turned on Williams, who saw her unforced-error count balloon out to 16 while only hitting four winners in the opening set.
Williams – the oldest woman to reach the semis in Melbourne in the Open Era – carried a flawless Australian Open semi-final record into the contest, having won all eight of her previous final-four showdowns.
But Williams cut a frustrated figure at the start of the second set as she yelled at herself "make a shot" amid her demise – Osaka breaking in the first game before consolidating.
However Osaka, who has gone on to win the title each time after advancing past the round of 16 at a slam – 2018 US Open, 2019 Australian Open and 2020 US Open, lost her way when serving at 4-3 as three double faults saw her broken by Williams.
Williams, beaten by Osaka in an infamous US Open final three years ago, regifted the compliment the very next game, Osaka hitting three stunning winners to break to love before sealing her place in the women's decider.
Data slam: Osaka stays hot
She has now won 20 consecutive matches since losing while on Fed Cup duty for Japan last February. A 21st successive victory would yield a fourth slam triumph.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Williams – 12/24
Osaka – 20/21
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Williams – 3/1
Osaka – 6/8
BREAK POINTS WON
Williams – 2/7
Osaka – 4/4
Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow has retired from baseball after five years in the minor leagues with the New York Mets.
Tebow switched to baseball in 2016, having played for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets following his first-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft.
The 33-year-old hit a home run in his first at-bat in a game against the St Louis Cardinals in September 2016.
In three professional seasons, Tebow batted .223/.299/.338 with 107 runs, 48 doubles, three triples, 18 homers, 107 RBI and five stolen bases in 287 games.
"I want to thank the Mets, Mr. Alderson, the fans and all my team-mates for the chance to be a part of such a great organisation," said Tebow.
"I loved every minute of the journey, but at this time I feel called in other directions. I never want to be partially in on anything. I always want to be 100 per cent in on whatever I choose.
"Thank you again for everyone's support of this awesome journey in baseball, I'll always cherish my time as a Met."
In 2019 – Tebow's final professional season – he appeared in 77 games for the Syracuse Mets (AAA) before a laceration on his left hand cut short his season.
That season, Tebow tallied 25 runs, four homers and 19 RBIs while hitting .163.
"It has been a pleasure to have Tim in our organisation as he's been a consummate professional during his four years with the Mets," said team president Sandy Alderson.
"By reaching the Triple-A level in 2019, he far exceeded expectations when he first entered the system in 2016 and he should be very proud of his accomplishments."
San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. has reportedly agreed a mammoth 14-year contract extension worth more than $300million.
Tatis is set to earn a guaranteed total of $340m with the Padres, according to The Athletic and ESPN.
The deal will be the third-largest contract in MLB history, only behind Mike Trout's 12-year, $426.5m extension with the Los Angeles Angels and Mookie Betts' $365m deal over 12 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Tatis – the 22-year-old shortstop – won a Silver Slugger award after hitting .277 with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs in the coronavirus-shortened 2020 MLB season.
He also finished fourth in the National League (NL) MVP race last season as the Padres returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
The Padres, who earned their first winning record since 2010, topped the St Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card Series before falling to eventual World Series champions the Dodgers in the NL Division Series (NLDS).
In his debut season with the Padres in 2019, Tatis tallied 61 runs, 22 homers and 53 RBIs after hitting .317 in 84 games.
Since entering the MLB, Tatis has hit 111 runs, 39 homers, 98 RBIs while hitting .301.
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant will sit out Thursday's clash with NBA champions the Los Angeles Lakers due to a left hamstring strain.
Durant will miss his third consecutive game, having also been sidelined for wins over the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings.
The former NBA MVP also missed three games due to the league's health and safety protocols before returning for his reunion with the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
Durant is averaging 29.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game for the star-studded Nets this season.
Fellow Nets star Kyrie Irving is also listed as probable to face LeBron James' Lakers due to lower back tightness after he was absent from Tuesday's 128-124 win against the Suns.
The Nets trailed the Suns by 21 points at half-time before rallying to win. It was the largest half-time deficit overcome to triumph in franchise history, per Stats Perform.
The Nets (18-12) are second in the Eastern Conference, behind the Philadelphia 76ers (18-10), following four consecutive wins.
President of the Bahamas Aquatics Federation Algernon Cargill was returned unopposed to the post at the federation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday.
Rafael Nadal insists he was not struggling with injury as he crashed out of the Australian Open but acknowledged a lack of match practice could have contributed to his quarter-final collapse against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The 20-time grand slam champion was dealing with a back issue at the start of the tournament, although he managed to advance to the last eight without dropping a set.
That impressive run appeared set to continue as Nadal won the opening two sets against fifth seed Tsitsipas, only for the match to turn on its head after a tie-break in the third
Tsitsipas emerged a 3-6 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 7-5 winner after just over four hours, becoming only the second player – after Fabio Fognini – to triumph from two sets down against Nadal at a major.
Post-match questions put to Nadal predictably centred on the potential impact of his back woe, but he insisted there was no physical pain on Wednesday.
However, reflecting on "just another story in my tennis career", the Spaniard repeatedly referred to the difficulty of preparing for a tournament amid such problems.
"I think I was in great condition before here," he said. "Then I've been a bit unfortunate for what happened for 20 days, and then I fight back to play, I think, decent tennis.
"Today wasn't enough. It was close, just that's tennis. That's all. That's the sport. One player wins; the other loses.
"Today I lost, so the only thing that I can do is try to be better next time, and today congratulate him."
Claiming the key was instead two costly mini-breaks in the breaker, Nadal added: "I am not complaining much.
"I think physically, it has been a very humid day out there. Physically I was not fantastic but not bad, you know? I was able to fight until the end, and that's it.
"The whole issue is I missed an easy smash at the beginning of the third, an easy forehand with 2-1 in the tie-break, and then another smash in that tie-break.
"That tie-break I made a couple of mistakes that I can't make to win the match. He played well then later. Well done."
Nadal was chasing a record-breaking 21st major championship, yet only one of those triumphs has come in Melbourne – back in 2009.
The 34-year-old has lost four finals, as well as regularly dealing with injury concerns at the first slam of the season.
But asked if he felt "cursed", he responded firmly: "No. No, no, no. That's sport. Sometimes things go well; other times things goes worse.
"Unfortunately for me, in this tournament, I had more injuries than in the others. Then matches that you lose like today against one of the best players of the world is something that happens.
"No, no, no. Not at all feeling unlucky for me and not at all complaining about my luck here in Australia.
"Everyone has what we deserve. Tennis isn't a sport that is fair. I have what I deserved in my career, and over here in Australia I had chances, but I was not able to convert it. That's all. I didn't deserve more."
Use of the word "unlucky" brought a similar response, as Nadal insisted he was not looking for excuses.
"We can find excuses or reasons or maybe this quarantine that we need to be more time in the room than usual, yes, maybe," he said. "But I am not the guy that is going to find excuses on that or going to complain about what happened, no.
"Just accept. I never considered myself an unlucky person at all. It doesn't matter the injuries that I had. I think I am very lucky person.
"The only thing that I can do is just keep going. I put myself in a position, even with the challenges that I faced, that I was in quarter-finals with two sets up, close to being in the semi-finals.
"So, it has been a chance lost, yes, but life continues. I hope to keep having chances. Well, I'm going to keep fighting for it."
Stefanos Tsitsipas struggled to explain how he pulled off a remarkable turnaround against Rafael Nadal to reach the last four of the Australian Open.
The fifth seed had only once before beaten Nadal and was facing a seventh career defeat to the 20-time grand slam champion as he fell two sets behind on Rod Laver Arena.
Instead, Tsitsipas rallied after a third-set tie-break to triumph 3-6 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 7-5 and advance to a semi-final against Daniil Medvedev.
The Greek joined Fabio Fognini, at the 2015 US Open, as the only players to overturn a two-set deficit to beat Nadal at a major.
Victory had seemed particularly remote as Tsitsipas struggled to make any inroads on Nadal's serve. He won only 10 receiving points across the first two sets - two of those coming courtesy of double faults - and had to wait until the final game before the breaker in the third to add an 11th.
Then, to the victor's bemusement, the match turned, ending Nadal's run of 35 consecutive set wins at grand slams.
"I have no words to describe what has just happened on the court," Tsitsipas said. "My tennis speaks for itself.
"It's an unbelievable feeling to fight at such a high level and leave it out on the court. I started very nervously.
"I don't know what happened after the third set. I flew like a bird and everything worked for me."
Tsitsipas, who made just four unforced errors in the pivotal third set, added: "I focused on staying calm and holding my nerves today. I have failed to do so in some of my matches.
"I stayed calm in the tight moments and I kept everything to myself. I am really happy with the attitude that I showed on the court."
Now Tsitsipas must take on another player he has only previously defeated once, although that win came in his most recent meeting with Medvedev in 2019.
"He plays very well and has been very consistent, with lots of consecutive wins," Tsitsipas said. "I need to recover and have a good ice bath.
"I am looking forward to the match and each match I play here is an opportunity to play my best tennis. It will be amazing to see the crowds again."
Rafael Nadal suffered a remarkable collapse to exit the Australian Open at the quarter-final stage despite earlier leading Stefanos Tsitsipas by two sets.
Only once in Nadal's grand slam career had he previously let a two-set lead slip and such a slump appeared entirely improbable as he dominated Tsitsipas on Rod Laver Arena.
But the 20-time major champion, chasing a record-breaking 21st title, struggled to recover his momentum after dropping a set for the first time in the tournament when the third went to a tie-break.
The courageous Tsitsipas grew in confidence and landed a momentous second career win over Nadal to reach a third slam semi after a four-hour 3-6 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 7-5 epic.
A third member of the France backroom team has tested positive for coronavirus, but the players have been cleared to continue their isolation at home after returning negative results.
The French Rugby Federation confirmed on Tuesday that head coach Fabien Galthie and an unnamed member of staff were positive for COVID-19 and would self-isolate for seven days.
Following another round of testing later that day, assistant coach William Servat returned a positive result.
However, with all players testing negative for the second time in succession, they were permitted to return home on Wednesday.
Further coronavirus tests will be carried out at their homes on Friday and on Sunday, when the players return to the National Rugby Centre in Marcoussis.
France, who won their opening two Six Nations games against Italy and Ireland, are scheduled to face Scotland in Paris on February 28.
The squad for that game is due to be announced on Wednesday.
The Milwaukee Bucks should not be in "panic mode" despite their worst losing run in almost three years, according to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks have led the NBA over the past two regular seasons but are now on a four-game losing streak for the first time since March 2018, falling to 16-12.
Their latest setback came at home to the Toronto Raptors, who closed out a 124-113 win on Tuesday, led by Fred VanVleet's 33 points.
Milwaukee, who host Toronto again on Thursday, have allowed 123 points per game over this miserable stretch and have missed Jrue Holiday, who has been out for five games due to health and safety protocols.
But two-time reigning MVP Antetokounmpo insisted the poor run is "not the end of the world".
"I kind of have a feeling that everybody is in a panic mode, which should not be the case," he said after contributing 34 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals and two blocks against the Raptors.
"We should keep improving, we should keep playing good basketball, we should watch the film, and at the end of the day, we've got to go out there and compete. When you come here, nothing can be easy."
He added: "At the end of the day, we lost four in a row; we're not going home. We're still here. It's not the playoffs.
"Obviously, it's frustrating. We want to win, especially a game like this. A big game, guys playing hard.
"You want to come out and win the game, but it doesn't always go your way. But you've always got to look at the bright side of it. You still have another opportunity on Thursday.
"So, keep getting better, watch the film, improve, keep everybody in a good place, and it's not the end of the world right now."
Antetokounmpo acknowledged Holiday's absence has been keenly felt.
The former New Orleans Pelicans guard has a team-best plus/minus of 7.5, posting 16.4 points and 5.4 assists while also leading the Bucks in steals (44 at 1.9 per game).
"We have to be better," Antetokounmpo said. "Obviously, one of our best players on the team and playmakers and best defenders on the team is not playing with us.
"Obviously, it's not an excuse. I'm not a guy that gives excuses. But it's a big part of who we are, and we need him."
Steve Nash said the Brooklyn Nets were "rightfully excited" about "a great morale booster" after a sensational fightback against the Phoenix Suns.
The Nets were down 24 points late in the second quarter and 21 at halftime, failing to lead at any point until a clutch James Harden three with 31.4 seconds remaining.
Harden added late free throws to clinch an epic 128-124 win, the first in franchise history after trailing by 21 points or more through two quarters.
The victory came despite Kyrie Irving's absence with tightness in his lower back, while Kevin Durant remained out due to a hamstring injury.
Coach Nash said of the locker room post-game: "It's all vibes in there right now, all vibes.
"The guys are rightfully excited. It's a great morale booster, especially missing Kevin and Ky and finding a way to make up for a 24-point deficit.
"We showed a lot of character, a lot of heart, and as a coaching staff, that just makes you proud."
Harden carried the team in the closing stages when the Nets went on a 12-0 run over the final two and a half minutes.
The last team to trail by at least eight points at that stage of a game before scoring 12 or more unanswered points to win were the Los Angeles Lakers in Kobe Bryant's final game in 2016.
Harden contributed 38 points - his most since moving to Brooklyn - along with 11 assists and seven rebounds, but he hailed the effort of the whole team.
"This is the true definition of a team; one man, two men go down, it's just next man up," he said.
"We got down 20-something at halftime and we didn't give up, we didn't quit, kept fighting. We cut the deficit down, kept fighting, and gave ourselves the chance to win it at the end of the game. Things went our way."
It does not get any easier for the Nets now, though, with defending champions the Lakers up next.
"We know who they have over there," Nash said. "We know how well they're coached and what they've been able to do in the last year or so.
"So it's a great test for us. You load the guys up and be ready to go and try to keep getting better."
But Harden is focused only on Brooklyn's continued improvement as they aim to extend a four-match winning run, over which Harden has averaged 26.3 points per game.
"Obviously, offensively we're really, really good," he said. "Defensively, we're not so great.
"So we have to find ways to be better in that category, which we all know. We're working on that, and whether it's the Lakers or any other team, that doesn't get us excited because we're still working on ourselves, if that makes sense.
"Obviously, we understand that calibre of team we're playing. But then the whole situation is we are working on ourselves."
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