Bucks at Nuggets
The Milwaukee Bucks will try to break out of their mini-slump without MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo when they complete a three-game road trip at the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Antetokounmpo missed Sunday's 140-131 loss at Phoenix due to a knee sprain and will not return until Thursday against Boston, at the earliest.
"The way they described it to me is we'll see how the next few days go and kind of evaluate him and see where he is then," Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters of Antetokounmpo before his NBA-leading Bucks allowed 47 first-quarter points to the Suns en route to its third loss in four games. The Nuggets are just a game out of second place in the Western Conference, but have gone 4-5 over their last nine games, including Saturday's 104-102 setback at Cleveland that left head coach Michael Malone befuddled. "Who are we?" he told reporters. "That's a decision we have to think long and hard about. On defense, we don't point, we don't talk, we don't match. You have to participate in your own recovery, right? Our transition defensive lapses are so egregious in nature - lob, dunk, a coast-to-coast drive." Denver allowed an average of 116.4 points over the last five games, nearly nine more than its season mark.
TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: NBA TV, FS Wisconsin, Altitude
ABOUT THE BUCKS (53-11): Khris Middleton scored 39 points Sunday and is averaging 29 in the seven games Antetokounmpo has missed this season. Eric Bledsoe chipped in 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting after averaging nine points - more than six below his season mark - over his previous five games, but the quality offensive numbers meant little after such a dismal start. "Tough first quarter for us," Budenholzer told the media of a first 12 minutes that led to a 47-28 deficit. "Phoenix's aggressiveness just put them in a position where they could maintain a lead and take it home. ... I like the competitiveness of the group in the second half the way we fought and gave ourselves some chances. Tough game."
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (42-21): All-Star center Nikola Jokic was held to single digits in scoring for the first time in 44 games when he finished with eight points in the loss at Cleveland. Will Barton scored 22 points to lead Denver, which shot 50.6 percent from the floor but had a season-worst 3-of-8 showing from the free-throw line. Guard Gary Harris scored 18 points and registered a season-high five steals, and the veteran guard is shooting 66.7 percent from the floor in March - 7-of-10 from 3-point range.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. After Monday, the Nuggets play seven of their next eight on the road.
2. Bucks SG Donte DiVincenzo is averaging 17.3 points on 55.9 percent shooting over his last three games to raise his season average to 9.4.
3. Barton scored 24 points and Jokic finished an assist shy of a triple-double in a 127-115 victory at Milwaukee on Jan. 31, one of three home losses all season for the Bucks.