Clippers at Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are searching for signs of optimism, and a last-second win should give the team a boost of momentum. The Bucks will try to make it three straight triumphs when they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Milwaukee averaged 85.8 points in a five-game stretch prior to beating the New York Knicks 106-91 on Saturday, and the offense stepped up when it counted again on Monday when Greg Monroe scored the go-ahead basket in the final seconds of a 90-88 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers. "We did a great job of finishing the game, making the plays we needed to win the game," Monroe told reporters after John Henson’s block sealed the victory. The Clippers earned a tight win in Minnesota on Monday as the starting backcourt of Chris Paul and J.J. Redick returned from injury and combined for 27 points. Redick, who sat out Saturday’s win over Orlando with an ankle injury, looked rusty at 1-of-9 from the field but made up for it by going 11-of-11 from the free-throw line.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (12-9): Los Angeles totaled 68 points in the fourth quarter of the last two games to overcome deficits and steal wins. “I just like our resolve,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “Listen, you want to play well. But it’s nice to win two in a row not playing your best. That’s really good.” The win in Minnesota marked the start of a five-game road trip and a stretch of 12 of 14 on the road that will take the team into January.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (9-13): Milwaukee is also stepping things up on the defensive end with an average of 89.5 points allowed in the last six contests, highlighted by Henson’s game-saving block on Monday. Henson finished with a season-high four blocks in the win and is averaging 2.6 swats over the last five contests. “I think he did (see me)," Henson told reporters after his latest block on Leonard. "He's 7 feet, so us tall guys aren't really used to guys being able to block our shots and he shot a floater. I think I caught him off guard a little bit because he was open."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Clippers C DeAndre Jordan is 15-of-19 from the field in the last two games.
2. Bucks G O.J. Mayo is averaging 15 points in the last three games.
3. Los Angeles has taken six of the last seven in the series, with the lone loss in that span coming at Milwaukee last season.