Bucks at Magic
The Orlando Magic face an early must-win situation as they prepare to host the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday with a tough five-game road trip looming. Orlando, which opens its trek against the red-hot San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, dropped three in a row to fall four games below .500 for the first time this season after an uneven 94-91 loss to Washington on Friday at home.
“We have more than enough to get it done and we’ve got to figure this out,” Magic center Bismack Biyombo told the Orlando Sentinel. “… We’re still sleeping. We’ve got to figure it out. Guys have to wake up. We’ve got to start deciding who we really want to be.” Milwaukee is sinking a bit as well after losing four of its last five contests - the only win coming against the Magic 93-89 on Monday. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points and 11 assists for the Bucks in the 105-99 defeat against Toronto on Friday after notching a triple-double versus Orlando, but needs more help. Milwaukee leads the overall series 51-50, but lost 19 of the last 20 in Orlando.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (6-8): With Khris Middleton out until March after hamstring surgery, the Bucks are searching for more answers on offense with only Antetokounmpo (22.3) and forward Jabari Parker (19.3) averaging in double figures. Antetokounmpo is having an All-Star caliber season to date, also averaging 8.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting almost 50.9 percent from the field. Forward Greg Monroe had eight points and 10 rebounds Friday after managing only eight and five, respectively, over the previous four contests.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (6-10): Orlando coughed up the ball 19 times - 15 in the first half - against Washington on Friday and trailed by as many as 19 in the first quarter. The Magic are 29th in the league in scoring (91.9) and last in field-goal percentage (40.9), showing inconsistency throughout the team, while only one player averages better than 14.1 points - guard Evan Fournier (17.0). Forward Jeff Green was brought in during the offseason to help spark the Magic in the scoring department, but averages 7.6 points and shoots 32.8 percent from the floor.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Bucks forced 25 turnovers and limited the Magic to 15 fourth-quarter points Monday.
2. Orlando C Nikola Vucevic recorded four of his seven double-doubles in the last five games.
3. Milwaukee G Tony Snell, who is third on the team in scoring (9.1), recorded a season-high 16 against Toronto on Friday.