Bucks at Wizards
The Washington Wizards showed some spark on the defensive end to snap a three-game slide and are hoping it carries over into the week. The Wizards will try to make it back-to-back victories when they host a confident Milwaukee Bucks team on Tuesday.
The Wizards allowed an average of 119 points during their losing streak but used three days of practice in between games to sharpen the defense and ended up holding the Orlando Magic to 43.7 percent from the field in a 108-99 victory. “We communicated on pick and rolls a lot better,” Washington point guard John Wall told reporters. “We had guys at the nail to help out in certain situations. It made it a lot easier. We did better with our communication.” The Bucks are coming off a 108-105 double-overtime win over Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland on Saturday and are winners of five of their last seven overall. Milwaukee’s balanced offense has five players averaging at least 12.6 points and a sixth – small forward Jabari Parker – coming on strong as his workload increases.
TV: NBATV, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (5-5): Parker, who is coming off a knee surgery that ended his promising rookie campaign last season, is gradually seeing his minutes increase and played a season-high 30 in Saturday’s triumph. "I think he's doing well," Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd told reporters of Parker. "Once he took the ball to the basket and had that dunk, you can see that his confidence grew about having contact and being able to do the things he did before the injury.” Parker scored a season-high 12 points in the win over the Cavaliers.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (4-4): Washington’s offense had a new look on Saturday as well, with veteran power forward Kris Humphries stepping out to the perimeter to knock down 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. "You don't expect to come out and do that every night,” Humphries told reporters. “You've got to work through it when it's not working out for you and enjoy it when it's going for you.” The 30-year-old, who had not hit a 3-pointer in an NBA game since his 2004-05 rookie season, got the message from coach Randy Wittman to work on his shot over the summer and is providing a new element to the offense while shooting 46.4 percent from beyond the arc.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Wizards grabbed a 118-113 win at Milwaukee on Oct. 30 behind 26 points from Bradley Beal.
2. Beal (shoulder) sat out the last two games and remains day-to-day.
3. Milwaukee C Greg Monroe has recorded three straight double-doubles.