Milwaukee Bucks vs. Charlotte Hornets Preview: Bucks Basketball is Back

With the league hurtling ever-closer to All-Star Weekend, the 34-12 Milwaukee Bucks get one more night at home against the 23-24 Charlotte Hornets before heading on a five-game road trip.

Bucks Update

It feels like forever since we last saw the Bucks play. Four days between games just isn’t sustainable as a fan.

That being said, the Bucks will come into tonight well rested and riding a five-game win streak after topping the Dallas Mavericks on MLK Day. It was a victory led foremost from the front as each Bucks starter scored in double-digits. Giannis led the way with 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists while Thon Maker backed him up with 0 points, 0 rebounds, and 1 assist in 4 minutes of play. Thank you, Thon.

On top of all that winning, there’s the welcome news that the Bucks come into tonight with a clean bill of health.

Player to Watch: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Since the Bucks last took the floor we got the welcome (if expected) news that Giannis was voted an All-Star Captain. Congrats! Will he be able to top his averages over the last 10 games at 25.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists? I think he very well may try as confirmation that his captaincy cannot be questioned.

Charlotte Hornets Update

What are we supposed to make of the Charlotte Hornets? They’re slightly in the top-half of the league offensively, slightly below-average defensively, don’t seem inclined to generate a high number of possessions, and sit atop the weakest division in basketball with a below .500 record.

Their last game on Wednesday against the flagging Memphis Grizzlies was a 118-107 W. As usual it was the Kemba Walker Show with his 22 points and 7 assists, though it should be noted that Jeremy Lamb (career-year!) and the husk of Tony Parker each threw in 17 points of their own. They come to Milwaukee with no nagging injuries either, besides Cody Zeller who’s been sidelined since December.

Charlotte is a thoroughly middling Eastern Conference team. Still, they’ve taken Milwaukee to the brink (and beyond) both times the two teams met, so...

Player to Watch: Kemba Walker

It’s not creative to tap Walker as the guy to keep an eye on, but it is only right since he was A) Also selected as an All-Star starter and B) Was the first guard to demonstrate that hot-jump-shooting-guards are a deadly tool against Milwaukee’s defensive scheme. He’s the artificial heart keeping Charlotte’s moribund offense alive with career-highs of 25.0 points (.436/.358/.813) and 5.7 assists a game. Beware the pick-and-pop.