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| 2014/2015 NBA Season | ||
|---|---|---|
 (7-6, 4-1 home) |
vs. |  |
| November 22, 2014 | ||
| BMO Harris Bradley Center | Milwaukee, WI |
||
| 7:30 CT | ||
| FS Wisconsin | 620 WTMJ | ||
| Probable Starters | ||
| Brandon Knight | PG | John Wall |
| Khris Middleton | SG | Garrett Temple |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | SF | Paul Pierce |
| Jabari Parker | PF |
Nene |
| Larry Sanders | C |
Marcin Gortat |
| Advanced Stats | ||
| 95.1 (21st) | Pace | 95.6 (16th) |
| 97.7 (26th) | ORtg | 102.2 (20th) |
| 99.9 (8th) | DRtg | 98.6 (5th) |
Opponent Coverage: Bullets Forever | Washington Post
Game Coverage: Wizards vs Bucks coverage
UPDATE:
#Bucks starters: Knight, Middleton, Antetokounmpo, Parker, Sanders. Kidd on Giannis: "No different from where he was before the injury."
— Aron Yohannes (@AronYohannes) November 23, 2014
Last night was a severe gutpunch. A swift, resounding reality check delivered by one of the best of the East. Another Eastern power is on tap tonight. And you, my friends, were victims of disorganized thinking.
The Milwaukee Bucks return to the BMO Harris Bradley Center tonight to take on the Washington Wizards for the second time this season. The Bullets Wizards sit only behind the Raptors, who made a dime bank out of the Bucks yesterday, in the conference and have a win over the Fightin' Kidds already this season.
Back on November 1st, it was really no miracle what happened to the Bucks in the nation's capital. What happened was just this... Milwaukee could not score, nor defend the Wiz, in the first or third quarters, and the Bucks lost by eleven. It was a game that was dictated by Washington, particularly down low. Nene, Marcin Gortat and Otto Porter all had big games and will look to do so again. A massive challenge awaits on stopping that tonight.
But that's not what's worrying me. It's how to do it. These things must be done delicately... or you hurt the spell. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to nurse an ankle injury suffered in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Playing only fifteen minutes in the storm that blew up last night, Giannis should be able to participate in some fashion tonight. Obviously, though, the result tonight is secondary to the durability of Antetokounmpo long-term. If the game is close, we'll see how Giannis is managed if it's clear the ankle is bothering him.
Jabari Parker, a lone bright spot in Toronto yesterday, was eaten alive defensively earlier this month in DC. Doctor of Thinkology Jason Kidd will have to close his eyes and tap his heels together to figure out how to overcome the disadvantage in the paint.
Oh, my! Lest we forget about John Wall, who had 19 points and 10 assists in the win over the Bucks earlier this month and almost single-handedly knocked off the Cavaliers last night. Let's hope Wall will help us out today and find himself a place where we won't get into any trouble.
To avoid falling back to .500, the Bucks will have to use their brains, have some heart and find some courage. The Bullets Wizards are one of the most complete teams in the league (98.6 DRtg; 102.2 ORtg). But the Bucks are done traversing the yellow brick road for now, and there's no place like home.
P.S. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! Join us here to discuss during the game. If the game heads south, poppies for everyone!