Magic at Bucks
Jason Kidd is expected to be back on the bench coaching the Milwaukee Bucks when they host the struggling Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. Kidd missed the last 17 games after hip surgery and the Bucks continued their disappointing campaign -- going 8-9 during that stretch -- after finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference a season ago.
Khris Middleton has recorded at least 20 points in six straight games for Milwaukee, which has been a much better team at home (12-7) than on the road (7-20). The Bucks were routed 114-90 at Orlando on Nov. 27, but they will face a Magic squad that has stumbled since the beginning of the new calendar year -- going 1-10 with six straight defeats. Orlando added another heartbreaking loss Monday when it coughed up a late four-point lead in regulation before losing 108-102 at Memphis. Magic center Nikola Vucevic has recorded five straight double-doubles after posting 16 points and 14 boards on Monday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (20-23): Orlando has endured a gut-wrenching three-game stretch, losing to the worst team in the league (Philadelphia) at home and letting a 19-point lead get away against Charlotte before a second-straight overtime defeat Monday. The Magic turned the ball over 19 times in each of the past two contests while guard Victor Oladipo was held to 1-of-10 shooting against Memphis. Evan Fournier registered 31 points combined in the last two games while coming off the bench after going 5-of-25 from the field in the previous two.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (19-27): While Middleton scored at least 20 points in nine of the last 10 games, Greg Monroe and Giannis Antetokounmpo have also been major threats for an offense shooting 46.2 percent from the field – fifth in the league through Sunday. Monroe averaged 21.5 points in the last two contests and Antetokounmpo has shot at least 50 percent in six of seven outings. Michael Carter-Williams is coming in off one of his best scoring outputs of the season (19) and Jabari Parker scored at least nine in each of the last 13 games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Bucks have outrebounded six consecutive opponents, averaging a plus-9 margin.
2. Orlando F Aaron Gordon is averaging 10 points, eight rebounds and 24 minutes in two straight starts.
3. Milwaukee G O.J. Mayo (hamstring) is questionable after missing the last five contests.