Bucks at Spurs
Aside from an embarrassing loss at Chicago on Thursday, the San Antonio Spurs are starting to look like the defending champions again. The Spurs seek a sixth win in seven games when they play the second of six straight home games against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. San Antonio got its homestand off to a good start when it beat the Los Angeles Lakers 99-85 on Friday.
The Bulls defeated the Spurs 104-81 on Wednesday for San Antonio's biggest loss of the season and second-worst all-time to the Bulls."It's easier to focus, to be ready when you were embarrassed," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. "We played a terrible game (Thursday), so we were willing to be back on the court and sort of redeem ourselves." Milwaukee made 10 of its first 13 3-point attempts Saturday, including three by O.J. Mayo inside of a one-minute span, in a 101-86 demolition of Detroit.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Southwest (San Antonio)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (22-21): Mayo finished with 20 points and Khris Middleton added 16 as Milwaukee scored 40 points in the second quarter and led by as many as 30 against the hot Pistons. "O.J. scored those nine straight points to really give us a lift in the second quarter," Bucks reserve forward John Henson said. Milwaukee, which hadn't scored 100 points in its previous 10 games, held its opponent under 50-percent shooting for the 16th consecutive game for the first time since the 2006-07 season.
ABOUT THE SPURS (28-17): Tony Parker scored 17 points and Kawhi Leonard had 15 points and 14 rebounds against the Lakers. Leonard has been a big reason for the turnaround, averaging 16.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals in five games since his return from injury. "I just go out there with the mindset to do what I can, bring as much energy as possible, and that's the results," he said after the Lakers game.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Spurs have won four straight in the series and four straight at home.
2. Milwaukee converted 11-of-17 3-pointers against the Pistons for a season-high 64.7 percent.
3. Spurs G Marco Belinelli (groin) is expected to miss his ninth straight game.