MILWAUKEE – Riding a five-game losing National Basketball Association (NBA) streak after an unsuccessful road trip, the Milwaukee Bucks start a three-game homestand where fans in Milwaukee are likely more focused on what might happen off the court than on it.
With the trade deadline looming on Feb 5 and the rumours surrounding currently injured superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo only getting louder, Milwaukee will begin the home stretch by hosting the Chicago Bulls on Feb 3 (Feb 4 morning, Singapore time).
On their road trip, the Bucks competed against Philadelphia and Washington until ultimately falling short late in both of those games. On Feb 1 in Boston, it was not as close. The team scored their fewest points in a game all season, losing 107-79 to the Celtics.
“It’s hard to create shots. Whenever we took (Ryan Rollins) off the floor, Bobby (Portis) off the floor, the scoring came to a halt,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said of his side’s problems.
“When you’re struggling and you start missing shots, it starts to snowball. That’s what I felt.”
Rollins led his Bucks team playing without Antetokounmpo or second-leading scorer Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique) with 25 points and seven assists.
He averages 16.5 points and 5.5 assists, while Portis has been a consistent scoring threat, averaging 13.2 points and is among the league leaders in three-point percentage (45.2).
Rollins is hardly the solution, however, if he were to carry the weight on his shoulders all by himself.
Without Antetokounmpo and Porter, the Bucks are missing a combined 44.8 points and 13 assists per game.
Chicago arrive in Milwaukee after facing the Miami Heat in each of their last three games. Miami won two of those matchups, including a dominant 134-91 effort in the finale on Feb 1.
In that game, the Bulls shot just 6-for-41 (14.6 per cent) from beyond the arc and 32.2 per cent from the floor.
The clash with the Bucks is Chicago’s final game prior to the 3pm trade deadline on Feb 5.
The team have nine players on expiring contracts, including Coby White, Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter, making them a team to watch.
Chicago have already been part of a move, acquiring Dario Saric in a three-team trade with Cleveland and Sacramento. Chicago sent Emanuel Miller to Cleveland in the deal and also waived Jevon Carter.
“I’ve heard nothing but great things (on Saric),” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said.
“I’ve always loved his IQ, his feel for the game. He hasn’t been in the rotation a whole lot this year, but a veteran guy that’s been around, in terms of getting him caught up to speed in terms of what we do, I’d imagine it’ll be pretty simple for him.”
Josh Giddey leads Chicago averaging 18.6 points and 8.8 assists per night. Vucevic leads down low averaging nine rebounds along with nearly 17 points per game.
On the injury front, there is still no official timetable for Antetokounmpo (calf strain) from the Bucks, despite his own estimate of four to six weeks starting from Jan 24. Porter also lacks an official timetable but will not be returning anytime soon.
Gary Harris (hamstring) also missed Milwaukee’s last game and is listed as out again for the Bulls game.
Meanwhile in NBA action on Monday, Alperen Sengun matched his season high with 39 points and helped seal a 118-114 Houston Rockets win over the Indiana Pacers with the last of his game-high 16 rebounds in Indianapolis.
Sengun picked up the offensive slack for a Houston team down Kevin Durant, a late scratch due to a left ankle sprain. Amen Thompson joined Sengun in recording a double-double, grabbing 11 rebounds to go with his 16 points. He also dished seven assists. REUTERS