Bucks at Nets
The Brooklyn Nets have suffered three straight double-digit defeats to
begin the season and aim to get into the victory column when they host
the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. Brooklyn has lost by an average of 17.3
points during its woeful start and faces a Milwaukee squad that is 0-3
for the first time since the 1976-77 season.
Shooting guard Joe Johnson personifies the Nets' poor start with a 7.7 scoring average on 9-of-29 shooting. "I think everybody is pretty frustrated at this point," Johnson said after Saturday's 101-91 loss to Memphis. "But we have to keep working. Just keep going hard on both ends of the floor. It'll come together." Milwaukee fell 106-87 to Toronto on Sunday and has lost its first three contests by an average of 16.3 points. "It's been a frustrating start to the season for me but I've got to figure it out," said guard Khris Middleton, who is 13-of-39 shooting over the first three games. "You can have slumps at the beginning of the season, end of the season, middle of the season. You can't press. You've just got to find a way to fight through it. It's definitely frustrating when you start 0-3 to the season and you feel like you had all winnable games."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (0-3): Small forward Giannis Antetokonumpo missed the opener due to a suspension and has strung together back-to-back strong outings since his return. He is averaging 23.5 points (on 17-of-27 shooting) and nine rebounds and the 20-year-old looks primed for a breakout campaign after averaging 12.7 points and 6.7 rebounds last season. "Right now, we have to be a team; it's not just one guy," coach Jason Kidd said after the Toronto loss in reference to Antetokounmpo's strong play. "We win as a team and we lose as a team."
ABOUT THE NETS (0-3): Journeyman Jarrett Jack is receiving the opportunity to be the starting point guard after Brooklyn parted ways with Deron Williams in the offseason. Jack missed the opener with a hamstring injury and averaged 13.5 points and eight assists over the next two contests. The 11-year veteran made more than one quarter (79) of his 312 NBA starts for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2006-07 and has career averages of 11 points and 4.4 assists.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Bucks and Nets played twice in Brooklyn last season and both contests went triple overtime — the teams split the games.
2. Milwaukee is two defeats away from matching its worst start — 0-5 in 1976-77.
3. Brooklyn C Brook Lopez had 12 points and 10 rebounds against Memphis after having just 10 total boards over the first two games.
PREDICTION: Nets 117, Bucks 114