Bucks at Mavericks
Journeyman guard J.J. Barea has strung together the best two-game
stretch of his NBA career and will again be in the starting lineup when
the Dallas Mavericks host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. Barea is
filling in for injured point guard Deron Williams and is averaging 29
points over the last two games after knocking down a career-high seven
3-pointers in Saturday's 118-111 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Barea wasn't the only bright spot against Chicago as small forward Chandler Parsons scored a season-best 20 points while playing a season-high 36 points off the bench. "Parsons is ready," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters of the player who underwent microfracture knee surgery in the offseason. "He's feeling good. His all-around game was great." The Mavericks are aiming to record their sixth consecutive victory over Milwaukee, which suffered a 111-90 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. The Bucks carried a slim lead into the fourth quarter before getting mauled over the final 12 minutes while being outscored 35-11.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (12-19): Dallas made 16 3-pointers while beating Chicago and Milwaukee will have to be better at guarding the perimeter after allowing the Raptors to make eight 3-pointers in the fourth-quarter collapse. "They went to a smaller lineup and had five shooters out there," Bucks center Greg Monroe told reporters. "Any time you have a team where all five guys can make a 3, that's going to be tough on any defense." Bucks reserve guard Jerryd Bayless (ankle) has been sidelined for more than three weeks but could return late in the week.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (17-13): Barea is 22-of-34 shooting, including 12-of-15 from 3-point range, in his out-of-nowhere splurge and is hopeful of keeping the torrid production going. "When you're in a good rhythm, you basically try to look for more shots," Barea told reporters. "With the ball screens on top, I just kept working until I was open and it worked out." Barea's run began with a career-best 32 points in Wednesday's victory over the Brooklyn Nets and he scored 26 points against the Bulls.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Bucks have dropped 10 of their last 12 visits to Dallas.
2. Milwaukee SG O.J. Mayo is 3-of-14 shooting over the past two contests.
3. Mavericks C Zaza Pachulia had 17 points and 12 rebounds against Chicago for his 16th double-double of the season.