Pelicans at Bucks
The New Orleans Pelicans are alternating wins and losses over the last 10 games and the inability to put together a winning streak is beginning to frustrate the club. Avoiding a losing streak will be a tougher task on Wednesday, when the Pelicans visit the Milwaukee Bucks in the opener of a four-game road trip.
New Orleans had a chance to put together back-to-back wins on Sunday but instead dropped a 102-96 decision at home to the Miami Heat while shooting 40.7 percent from the field and getting outrebounded 69-46. "It does get frustrating, especially with our team coming in with three days off," Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday told reporters of the pattern of alternating wins and losses. "We thought we were coming in fresher than they were off a six-game road trip. Again, I feel like it is going to take time and we have been playing hard. Today, we played really hard and we think we will turn the corner very soon." The Bucks are heading home after taking the final two of a three-game road trip, capped by a 107-104 win at Detroit on Monday. "Lots of different guys stepped up, but Giannis (Antetokounmpo) and Khris (Middleton) and (Eric Bledsoe) kind of leading the way and I thought Brook (Lopez's) defense - I think five or six blocked shots - was really good," coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. "It's a good win for us on the road.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS New Orleans, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (15-16): New Orleans could not hold Miami to one possession during Sunday's setback and allowed 28 second-chance points. "My problem obviously is the offensive rebounds," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "We gave up 22 offensive rebounds. You hold a team and they shoot 41-percent, are 28 (percent) from the three. We forced 19 turnovers for 28 points but the elephant in the room is the 22 offensive rebounds. They almost got half of the shots. They missed 53 shots and they got 22 of them back. Closing in on them and they get half the shots back. I thought that was our big problem." Superstar forward Anthony Davis hauled in 12 rebounds in that loss and continues to do his part to help the team while averaging 28 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (20-9): Antetokounmpo scored 32 points on 15-of-21 shooting in Monday's win and credited his teammate's passing for his efficiency. "I think my guys did a great job getting me on the move," Antetokounmpo told reporters. "You knew that (Detroit forward) Blake Griffin's going to pull you all the way in, so all I wanted was the ball on the move. ... I've just got to trust my teammates and I know they're going to put me in the right spots on the floor to be successful." Bledsoe handed out nine of Milwaukee's 33 assists in the win while Middleton added six and Antetokounmpo recorded five.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pelicans PFs Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic are both day-to-day with ankle injuries.
2. Bucks PG Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.
3. New Orleans took both meetings last season, including a 123-121 overtime triumph at Milwaukee on Feb. 25.