Mavericks at Bucks
The Dallas Mavericks will need to dig deep for some extra energy when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. Dallas needed double-overtime to beat the host Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night and four of its five starters were forced to play at least 40 minutes, including 36-year-old Dirk Nowitzki, who logged 42. The Bucks also played on the road Tuesday night, losing by three points to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Dallas guard Monta Ellis scored 38 points on 35 field-goal attempts while playing 45 minutes against the Bulls, but he might have a little more incentive to bounce back with another first-rate effort. Ellis played the final month of the 2011-12 season and all of 2012-13 in Milwaukee after coming over in a blockbuster trade with the Golden State Warriors. The Bucks have a whole new backcourt now and Brandon Knight showed he can score in bunches too, matching his season high with 27 points in the loss to Cleveland.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (14-5): The Bucks will be an interesting matchup as shooting guard Giannis Antetokounmpo is just as tall as 6-11 center Larry Sanders and three inches taller than rookie forward Jabari Parker. Nowitzki will likely have to choose between guarding Antetokounmpo or Parker, with Chandler Parsons guarding the other player. Either way, Antetokounmpo or Parker will present a challenge for Nowitzki, especially off the dribble.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (10-9): Khris Middleton has become a forgotten man in Milwaukee. The third-year power forward who started 64 games last season and averaged 12.1 points in 30 minutes, is averaging 6.1 points in 17.6 minutes and hasn’t started a game this season. He showed some spark after reaching double figures in scoring in three straight games, but then totaled three points in the loss to the Cavaliers, a disappearing act that has happened far too often this season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bucks reserve F Ersan Ilyasova is doubtful after spending the night at Cleveland Clinic after sustaining a facial bruise in the second quarter against the Cavaliers. He scored nine points in 12 minutes off the bench before getting hurt.
2. The Bucks will be trying for their 11th win, a mark they didn’t accomplish until Feb. 24 last season.
3. The Mavericks are 0-5 this season when scoring less than 100 points.