Suns at Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks gave a memorable performance while losing prized rookie Jabari Parker for the season when they met the Phoenix Suns last month. Milwaukee strives to post a second win over the Suns on Tuesday at a time when red-hot Phoenix has won eight of its last 10 games. The Bucks lost Parker to a knee injury on Dec. 15 in Phoenix and Khris Middleton played the role of hero by making a miraculous 3-pointer as time expired to give Milwaukee a 96-94 win.
The Suns were dominant from start to finish in posting a 125-109 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. “We started the game with a vengeance and we finished with it,” guard Eric Bledsoe told reporters.” You couldn’t ask for a better game.” The Bucks have won four of their last six games and are coming off a solid 95-82 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE SUNS (20-16): Bledsoe scored 20 points and fellow guards Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas each scored 18 as Phoenix racked up 15 steals and sped past the Raptors. “I think that was the most complete game that we’ve had this season,” Dragic told reporters. “We were focused from the first minute to the last minute of the game – offense and defense.” Thomas is averaging 25 points over his last three games against Milwaukee and the Suns are 8-0 when he scores more than 20 points.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (18-17): Milwaukee will be thin in the frontcourt with both Ersan Ilyasova (concussion) and Larry Sanders (personal reasons) sidelined, and swingman Jared Dudley and guard O.J. Mayo are both questionable with illnesses. Forward Zaza Pachulia has put together a strong of solid performances and he had a season-best 16 points to go with 14 rebounds against the Knicks for his fourth double-double of the season. “We play hard and we’re a team not built on one guy,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd told reporters. “We’re built on everybody doing their job and understanding their role and doing it as hard as they can.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Phoenix has won 39 of the last 48 meetings.
2. Milwaukee ranks first in the NBA in bench points (44.3) and the Suns are second at 44.1.
3. The Suns have scored 100 or more points in eight straight games.