Bucks at Suns
The Milwaukee Bucks had a seven-game winning streak and their dreams of a perfect five-game road trip come to an end with a 115-111 loss at Utah on Saturday, but they still own the best record in the NBA. The Bucks will try to avoid dropping back-to-back games for the first time this season when they close out the trip by visiting the Western Conference-worst Phoenix Suns on Monday.
Milwaukee was missing its starting backcourt of Eric Bledsoe (back) and Malcolm Brogdon (plantar fasciitis) on Saturday but still held a fourth-quarter lead against a playoff team from the West and had a chance to win down the stretch. "Tough game," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. "Felt like we put ourselves in positions to win on the road in a tough environment. Credit to Utah for a big fourth quarter, Donovan Mitchell had a huge game. I'm very, very proud of the way our guys competed from the beginning of the game to the end of the game (with) some adversity. If we compete like that we're going to be in good shape." The Suns are coming off a rare win after knocking off the Los Angeles Lakers 118-109 on the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday. "It felt really good, especially after last night," Phoenix guard Devin Booker told reporters. "A winnable game for us we felt we let go. Coming in today, getting a chance to refocus. Come in, high energy game. Come out and get the win."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (48-15): Milwaukee went with size with its starting backcourt out and started four players - center Brook Lopez and forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ersan Ilyasova and Nikola Mirotic - 6-10 or taller. The size advantage paid off early, with Lopez recording six of his seven blocked shots in the first quarter. "It was a great fight," Lopez told reporters. "I don’t think anyone expected anything else. Obviously, I know we all wanted to come out with a win, so we're pretty disappointed. It's an unfortunate ending. I was proud of the team's focus."
ABOUT THE SUNS (13-51): Phoenix rookie center Deandre Ayton collected 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 10 rebounds on Saturday and believes he is just scratching the surface. "I gave them enough time to let them run what they got to run," Ayton told reporters. "Now I'm about to just take over now. It's about that time to take over and not really look back." Ayton averages 16.6 points and 10.4 rebounds and recorded a double-double in three of the last four contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Brogdon and Bledsoe are both day-to-day along with SG Tony Snell (shoulder)
2. Booker scored 20 or more points in each of the last five games.
3. Phoenix earned a 116-114 victory at Milwaukee on Nov. 23 behind 29 points from Booker.