Bucks start a five-game, 10-day Western Conference trip with a date against the Dubs
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Milwaukee Bucks after a 2-4 stretch that included five home games, as they now head to the West Coast on a five-game road trip, beginning against the Golden State Warriors. This is the Bucks’ second and final time playing the Warriors this season, with Golden State taking the first meeting in Milwaukee back in February, 125-111. Long-time contemporaries Steph Curry and Damian Lillard each went off for 38 points, but 20 points from the then recently-acquired Jimmy Butler and 16 from Buddy Hield proved to be the difference in beating a Giannis-less Bucks squad.
Where We’re At
The last six games have been a mixed bag for the Bucks. They had two impressive wins over the Los Angeles Lakers (albeit without LeBron James) and the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, but were a miracle four-point play and a Dame game-winner from being 4-2 in their last six. Yet, those losses did happen and they didn’t put forth good outings against the two best teams in the league, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Bucks are just 3-14 wins against the current top seven teams in the NBA with wins against the Houston Rockets (back in November), the Thunder (officially doesn’t count because it was the NBA Cup Final), and the Denver Nuggets.
The NBA trade deadline turned around the Warriors’ season. After middling around .500 before they traded for Jimmy Butler, they have reasserted themselves as contenders in the Western Conference. Since Butler made his debut on February 8 against the Chicago Bulls, Golden State is 14-3, with losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks. They had won seven in a row, before dropping their game last night against the Nuggets, losing 114-105. Butler since arriving is averaging 16.4 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 5.7 RPG while shooting 44.2% from the field.
Injury Report
The Bucks got hit with a tough blow yesterday, as Jericho Sims had surgery on his right hand to repair a torn ligament he suffered during Saturday’s win over the Indiana Pacers. He’ll be out the next four weeks, with the hope being he’ll be ready by the time the first round of the playoffs starts in April. As for the rest of the team, Giannis, Dame, and Gary Trent Jr. are all probable.
The big news from the Warriors is that they have decided to rest Stephen Curry for tonight’s game after head coach Steve Kerr floated the idea after the Warriors’ loss to the Nuggets. Brandin Podziemski and Quinten Post are questionable for tonight, but former Buck Gary Payton II is available for the Warriors.
The Bucks catch a big break as they embark on their West Coast road trip, with the Golden State Warriors holding out superstar point guard Steph Curry for tonight’s game (rest).
— Jackson Gross (@jgrossreporter.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T21:19:58.456Z
Player To Watch
If there is anybody the Bucks need to step up, it’s their new supposed third option in Kyle Kuzma. While he has had some solid defensive moments with the Bucks, his offense has taken a nose dive, even factoring in his lesser role with the team compared to his time in Washington. During this six-game stretch for the Bucks, he’s averaging just 9.5 PPG on 36.5% shooting from the field and 21.7% from three-point range. His scoring average is less than Brook Lopez, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., and Taurean Prince over the same period. Kuzma must get his stuff together and show why the Bucks traded Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson for him.
How To Watch
NBA TV and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 9:00 p.m. CDT.
Playback Streaming
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