MILWAUKEE -- Three times previously this season, Milwaukee played Washington, and in each of those meetings, the Wizards absolutely destroyed the Bucks from beyond the 3-point arc.

So Thursday night, when the teams met for the fourth and final time this season, the Bucks made a conscious effort to take that shot away. The result was a satisfying 99-92 victory heading into the All-Star break.

"We made a conscious effort," Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. "I thought everybody got out and ran them off the (3-point arc) and made them take a tougher two. Then, we finished plays. I thought that was a big thing; not giving up offensive rebounds that let them look for a wide-open three by (Bradley) Beal or (John) Wall."

In the three prior meetings this season, Washington destroyed the Bucks from long distance, hitting 12 3-pointers in each contest.

Early on, it looked as if the script would hold, as the Wizards hit three of their first four attempts from beyond the arc. The Bucks responded from there, holding Washington to 3-for-28 long-distance shooting the rest of the way, including 3-for-18 in the second half.

Beal and Wall had torched Milwaukee this season, and they scored 19 and 15, respectively, Thursday, but they had to work for every point. Beal hit a pair of 3-pointers and Wall had three, but they came on a combined 18 long-range attempts. The pair shot 11-for-34 from the floor overall.

"The shot just didn't go in tonight," Beal said. "We have to figure out other ways to win games, and we just didn't do that."

The Wizards' 6-for-32 showing from beyond the arc dragged their shooting percentage down accordingly. Washington shot 38.6 percent from the field but didn't help its cause by allowing 21 points on 14 turnovers.

"I felt like we came out aggressively," Wall said. "We came out and played the right way in the first and third quarters, but in the second and fourth, they just made bigger plays than we did and they were more physical than us."

Milwaukee overcame a slow start and took a 55-46 lead into halftime. Washington opened the second half with a 10-2 run and took a one-point lead heading to the fourth.

The score was tied four times before the Bucks took the lead for good when shooting guard Khris Middleton sank a 3-pointer with 5:43 to play, making it an 84-81 game.

Middleton scored 14 of his team-high 27 in the final quarter, including five from the free-throw line.

"I was ready for it," Middleton said. "I was just trying to get things under control and get good looks every time."

Middleton added nine assists, six rebounds and five steals.

"He really stepped up for us," Kidd said. "To have nine assists and only two turnovers shows that we can play through somebody else, not just (center Greg Monroe), on the pick-and-roll."

Middleton's ability to create helped the Bucks (22-32) finish with four double-figure scorers. Monroe, coming off the bench for a second consecutive game, scored 12 and grabbed nine rebounds. Forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker added 17 each for the Bucks, who have won six of their past seven home games and head into the All-Star break having won two in a row.

"Hopefully we can build on this week," Kidd said. "We feel good about ourselves going into the break, and we feel that we can still continue to grow and get better."

The Wizards (23-28) head into the break in a slump, having lost seven of their past 10 and four of their past six.

"We have to be better defensively these last 31 games," Washington coach Randy Wittman said. "That includes rebounding the ball. Those two things, that's going to determine whether we get into the playoffs or not."

NOTES: Bucks coach Jason Kidd opted to stick with the same shuffled lineup he used the last time out, so again C Greg Monroe and PG Michael Carter-Williams came off the bench while C Miles Plumlee and G O.J. Mayo moved into the starting unit. ... Milwaukee was again without F John Henson, who hasn't practiced since sustaining a back injury in Milwaukee's 107-100 victory over Orlando on Jan. 26. ... Washington G Gary Neal did not participate in the team's shootaround Thursday, and he remained sidelined with a sore right leg. ... The Wizards were also without Fs Drew Gooden and Kris Humphries against the Bucks; both have been battling illnesses. ... Washington failed in its bid to sweep Milwaukee for the first time since the 1974-75 season.