Suns at Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks were building some positive momentum for the future earlier in the month but have fallen off of late with losses in five straight games. The Bucks will try to snap the slide when they host another team playing out the string in the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
Milwaukee is averaging 92.2 points in the last five games but coach Jason Kidd insists the team is still pushing forward. "You're always playing for something," Kidd told reporters. “For us, it's learning how to win while being a young team. We don't have any time to take any games off. We need to understand we can be in this same situation next season, being tired but needing to find a way to win.” The Suns’ latest slide reached three in a row in a 121-116 setback at Minnesota on Monday, but the backcourt of the future was in fine form. Brandon Knight and rookie Devin Booker went for 30 points apiece and combined for 10 assists in the loss.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE SUNS (20-54): Phoenix’s season went into a tailspin when point guard Eric Bledsoe went down for the season and Knight quickly followed with a long-term sports hernia injury, but the injuries at least gave Booker a chance to develop. The 19-year-old Kentucky product recorded four of his five 30-point games this month and is averaging 22.7 points in March. Booker is logging heavy minutes (37.7 in March) and went for 43 minutes as the Suns tried in vain to mount a comeback at Minnesota.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (30-44): Milwaukee allowed the Charlotte Hornets to go 16-of-29 from 3-point range in Sunday’s 115-91 setback and is struggling to defend the arc. “We just have to do a better job guarding the 3-point line," Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We haven't figured it out yet, like what we're doing wrong that we can't cover the 3-point line. So, we just have to keep working on it.” Antetokounmpo is Milwaukee’s budding star but is not closing as strong as Booker and slumped to 8-of-23 from the field in the last two games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bucks C John Henson is averaging 18 points on 15-of-21 from the field in the last two games.
2. Suns C Alex Len snapped a five-game string without a double-double by recording 14 points and 13 rebounds on Monday.
3. The road team has taken each of the last four meetings in the series, including Milwaukee’s 101-95 win in Phoenix on Dec. 20.