The Milwaukee Bucks tonight do battle with the much-improved Charlotte Hornets, who sit just below the Bucks in the standings. The season series between these teams is 1-1, with Charlotte taking the first game by double digits and the Bucks taking the second in an OT thriller.
Where We’re At
The Bucks have a long way to go, but Saturday’s win against the Bulls was a step in the right direction. Giannis returned and looked as good as ever, dropping 29 points (on 10/15 shooting) and eight rebounds. Of course, the Bucks were
blown out by the Grizzlies (who just lost to the Wizards) the night prior and have given fans little reason to believe as of yet. Fun fact: the Bucks are now the only team that has not won back-to-back games since October—that needs to change soon (hopefully tonight).
Unlike past seasons, the Hornets have looked like a functional NBA team this year. Their core of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller (who they just got back), Kon Knueppel, and Miles Bridges just makes sense. Thus, it’s no surprise that this team just beat the Orlando Magic (without the services of Rookie of the Year contender Knueppel for the entire second half, I might add). Simply put, the Hornets are dangerous, having beaten the Cavs, Raptors, and Hawks this season. The Bucks must be ready.
Injury Report
For the Bucks, Taurean Prince (neck) is out. Gary Trent Jr. (calf) is questionable.
For the Hornets, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Kon Knueppel, Mason Plumlee, and Grant Williams are all out. Sion James is questionable.
Player To Watch
Let’s go with Myles Turner. His shooting has improved significantly when he plays alongside Giannis. Turner has a 62.5% true shooting percentage with GA on the court (363 minutes), which drops to 53.0% with him off (530 minutes); credit to Nathan Marzion on Twitter for that nugget. We’ve all been somewhat disappointed in Myles thus far, but the whole point of him was that he would work well with the big fella. Let’s hope for some better play going forward.
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 6:00 p.m. CST.
