Hornets at Bucks
THE STORY: The Milwaukee Bucks know that their chance to compete for a playoff spot relies heavily on team defense. That has not exactly been an area of strength. The Bucks have surrendered an average of 107.3 points over the last six games and have dropped five of seven. Milwaukee will get a chance to ease its way back into a defensive mindset Wednesday when it hosts the New Orleans Hornets, who rank 29th in the NBA in scoring average at 87.1 points. The Hornets own the worst record in the Western Conference but did manage to snap an eight-game slide on Monday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CST (New Orleans), FSWI (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE HORNETS (5-23): The best offensive weapons on New Orleans have taken turns on the bench due to injury, with five rotation players sitting out each of the last two games. Eric Gordon, who has played only two games, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his ailing right knee and will be out at least another six weeks. With Jarrett Jack, Emeka Okafor, Jason Smith and Carl Landry also out, the Hornets leaned on Chris Kaman for 27 points and 13 rebounds in Monday’s 86-80 win over the Utah Jazz. Kaman is auditioning for a trade, with rumors swirling that he is the most likely Hornets player to be dealt.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (12-16): Milwaukee has fallen to 23rd in the NBA in scoring defense after finishing last season ranked third. The Bucks are coming off a 114-96 home loss to the Miami Heat on Monday in which they allowed 51.8 percent shooting. That marked the fourth time in the last six games that a team has gone off at a clip of 48 percent or better against the Milwaukee defense. The Bucks have dropped four straight at home to fall to 7-6 at the Bradley Center.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. New Orleans has taken 10 of the last 11 in the series.
2. Milwaukee G Carlos Delfino has gone 16 for 24 from 3-point range over the last four games.
3. Okafor (ankle) and Smith (concussion) are the most likely of the Hornets’ injured to play on Wednesday.