The winners of five of the last six MVP awards in Giannis and Jokic match-up once again
The Milwaukee Bucks continue playing teams from the Western Conference, as they host the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum. This will be the first time these two teams face off this season, with their second matchup scheduled for March 26 in Denver. Last season, these two conference powers went 1-1 against each other, with the home team winning each of the games.
Where We’re At
After losing six of nine heading into the All-Star break, the Bucks won three straight before dropping their matchup on Tuesday against the Houston Rockets. All three of the newcomers to the Bucks—Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr, and Jericho Sims—have all made big impressions since coming over at the trade deadline. Porter has taken over as the new backup point guard over Ryan Rollins and has had some impressive moments, Sims is the new backup center with Bobby Portis suspended, and Kuzma has added some solid perimeter defense and off-ball movement on offense (15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game since coming to Milwaukee).
After losing three in a row at the end of January, the Nuggets have taken advantage of the softer part of their schedule, winning nine in a row to propel themselves to the third seed in the West. Their winning ways came to an end when they got their first experience of the Luka Doncic Lakers, losing by 23 points on Saturday. Denver rebounded on Monday with a win against the Indiana Pacers, when Jokic set a career-high with 19 assists (more than points he had with 18) and Aaron Gordon had 25 to lead the way for the Nuggets.
Injury Report
It’s a fairly short report for the Bucks (for once). Pat Connaughton will miss his third straight game with a left calf strain he sustained against the Washington Wizards. Giannis is listed as probable with a left calf strain as well.
The Robin’s to Jokic’s Batman in Jamal Murray (left knee inflammation) and Aaron Gordon (right calf) seem to be set to play, with the pair listed as probable for tonight’s game. Vlatko Cancar, DaRon Holmes II, and Peyton Watson are all out as Cancar and Holmes recover from long-term surgery, and Watson is working his way back from a right knee sprain.
Player To Watch
One of the most underrated players in the league continues to be the two-way athletic wing, Aaron Gordon. With Michael Porter Jr going through a bit of a shooting slump in his last five games (39% from the field and 18.2% from three), Gordon has stepped it up on the offensive end in his stead. In Gordon’s last five games, he’s averaging 19 points per game (62% FG and 57.1% 3PT) along with 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
How To Watch
TNT, TRU TV, and Max at 7:00 p.m. CST.
Playback Streaming
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