Bucks at Clippers
The Milwaukee Bucks look to extend their four-game winning streak on Wednesday when they visit the Los Angeles Clippers, who have won eight of their last 10. The Bucks have solidified their standing as the eighth and final playoff team in the Eastern Conference, and are in position to move up a few spots with five of their next eight games against teams with losing records.
The Clippers stand two games ahead of fourth-place Memphis in the Western Conference playoff race after losing 108-104 to Oklahoma City on Sunday. Clippers guard Jamal Crawford scored 20 points against the Thunder, and he’s averaging 22.3 points over the past three games. Los Angeles committed 21 turnovers against Oklahoma City, and the team faces another test against the Bucks’ talented backcourt. Milwaukee enters the game on a high note after recording back-to-back overtime wins for the first time since 1991.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (30-28): Milwaukee is 4-1 since acquiring guard J.J. Redick from Orlando, and the seven-year veteran has had a direct impact on fellow guards Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. Redick scored eight of the Bucks’ 10 points in overtime in a 109-108 victory over Utah on Monday, and he’s averaging 15.4 points since the trade. Jennings has 36 assists in the last two games, while Ellis scored 34 points on 15-of-21 shooting against the Jazz. Ellis, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week, is averaging 4.75 steals over his last four games. He was held to 13 points in a 111-85 loss to the Clippers on Dec. 15.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (43-19): Los Angeles is vying to maintain the third playoff spot in the Western Conference, but the Clippers are winless in their last five games against the NBA’s elite trio of Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Miami. The Clippers fell to 23-7 at home with their four-point loss to the Thunder on Sunday, when they trailed by as many as 19 in the second half. Forward Blake Griffin had 20 points and nine rebounds in the loss, giving him 10 straight games with 16-plus points, seven-plus rebounds and two-plus assists. Chris Paul, who is shooting 37.5 percent (12-of-32) from the field in his last two games, had 13 assists against the Bucks in December.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Milwaukee has won one of 12 games played against the Clippers in Los Angeles since the 2000-01 season.
2. The Clippers are 32-2 when leading after the first quarter.
3. The Clippers and Bucks rank first and second, respectively, for most opponent turnovers per game. Los Angeles averages 16.69 while Milwaukee averages 16.40.