After their fourth loss in five games, the Milwaukee Bucks go again tonight, facing off against the Denver Nuggets. The vibes around the team are pretty putrid right now, and a sizeable loss will do nothing but increase the chatter. That said, the Nuggets won’t have Nikola Jokic, which at least opens the door for a Bucks win that would silence the noise somewhat. But of course, these squads faced off less than two weeks ago; the Nuggets had a hospital crew and still won. Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence!
Where We’re At
As mentioned, the Bucks are in a bad spot right now. Over the last five games, the team ranks 28th in both offence and defence; nothing’s working on either end. Yes, their recent losses have been to good teams—Minnesota, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City—but it’s the fact that they haven’t even been able to compete against those teams that’s been the most disappointing. Yes, they eked one out against Atlanta, but let’s not act like the Hawks didn’t try their hardest to lose that one. Giannis seems to be getting more and more vocal with each postgame presser, and Doc Rivers continues to frustrate us all. Yeah, that’s “where we’re at.”
The Nuggets come in on the second night of a back-to-back. This is a team that had been on a roll, winning four straight with their hospital crew—a streak that began with their victory over the Bucks a few weeks back. However, they’ve been looking vulnerable over the last week, losing two of their last three (with one of those losses being a 110-87 beatdown at the hands of the Hornets). The reality is that, without Nikola Jokic, Denver is relying heavily on unproven commodities right now. Peyton Watson is being given a lot of responsibility (and rightfully so, considering the season he’s having); this is also the first year that Jalen Pickett has had a true shot; Zeke Nnaji is playing key minutes. And yes, while all of these players’ ascensions are nice stories, they are still guys who are much more liable to have off games, which might help the Bucks out.
Injury Report
For the Bucks, Taurean Prince (neck) and Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique) are out. Myles Turner (ankle) has been upgraded to probable.
The Nuggets are playing on the second night of a back-to-back, and thus will submit their injury report at midday. It’s safe to assume, though, that Nikola Jokic and Cameron Johnson will miss; it’s also very likely that Christian Braun will be watching from the sidelines.
Player To Watch
As I mentioned, Peyton Watson is having a breakout season and is a leading candidate for the Most Improved Player award (alongside Ryan Rollins, surely). Last year, he averaged 8.1 PPG, 1.4 APG, and 3.4 RPG on 47.7% from the floor and 35.3% from three. This year, he’s upped those averages to 14.0 PPG, 1.8 APG, and 5.0 RPG on 50.4% from the floor and 40.3% from three. Wow. Watson dropped 19 points when the Nuggets last played the Bucks, and is coming off a career-high 35-point performance just last night against the Wizards. The fourth-year wing is having a hell of a year, and the Bucks must respect him in both their effort and coverage.
How To Watch
8:30 p.m. CST on Prime Video and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
