Bulls at Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks don't lose often, and it's become a surprise when they don't go off for 120 or more points. The Bucks, who lead the NBA in scoring at an average of 121 points, will try to avoid dropping back-to-back games for the first time this season when they host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
Milwaukee followed up a 135-point outburst in a win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday with a 110-107 setback at Charlotte on Monday. "We're a talented team, we've played really well up to this point, but we've just got to be consistent," Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon told reporters. "Tonight, we didn't have a slow start like we've been having, but we let them back into the game and then we dug ourselves a hole we couldn't really climb out of." The Bulls dropped their third straight on Monday, falling just short in a 108-107 setback to the Spurs but could have some help on the horizon in the form of forward Lauri Markkanen (right elbow), who is expected to participate fully in practice on Tuesday for the first time this season. “If he has soreness, we’ll slow it down a little bit," Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. "But he has passed every hurdle to this point. He has been medically cleared. He has done a lot of one-on-zero workouts, strength workouts, non-contact portions of practice, a controlled two-on-two and a full two-on-two with teammates."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE BULLS (5-16): Markkanen should provide some offensive support for guard Zach LaVine, who collected 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists on Monday but was off the mark on a go-ahead 3-point attempt in the final seconds. "I'm a confident shooter," LaVine told reporters. "I have made a lot of shots like that. I could have had an opportunity to go to the hoop. I didn't want them to double-team. That's why I called the pick away. I'm going for the win regardless. That's my confidence. I'm trying to get some energy, trying to get this (team) on a streak." LaVine is averaging 25.7 points but is shooting 30.2 percent from 3-point range.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (14-6): Milwaukee suffered through a rare poor shooting effort while connecting at 41.1 percent from the floor on Monday, and swingman Khris Middleton was the worst of the bunch at 4-of-18 from the floor. Middleton, who averages 19 points on 45 percent shooting and connects at 41.2 percent from 3-point range, stretches the floor for superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo still managed to reach the 20-point plateau in his 14th straight game on Monday and is averaging 26.8 points and 13 rebounds.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bucks SG Donte DiVincenzo (knee) returned from a five-game absence on Monday and scored eight points on 3-of-3 shooting in 11 minutes.
2. Bulls PG Ryan Arcidiacono scored a career-high 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting in Monday's setback.
3. Middleton and Antetokounmpo scored 23 points apiece in a 123-104 home win over Chicago on Nov. 16.