Bucks at Cavaliers
Leading MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo likely will sit out his second straight game due to an ankle injury when the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. The All-Star forward suffered the injury while scoring a career-best 52 points during Sunday's loss to Philadelphia.
NBA-leading Milwaukee recorded a 115-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday without Antetokounmpo, but coach Mike Budenholzer wasn't all that impressed with his team's quality of play. "We didn't play well with the lead," Budenholzer told reporters. "That's frustrating on a lot of different levels." The Cavaliers dropped five of six games before recording a solid 126-119 win over Detroit on Monday in the opener of their three-game homestand. Kevin Love (back) is in jeopardy of missing his second straight game after being injured due to a hard fall to the floor in Saturday's setback against Dallas.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS Ohio (Cleveland)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (53-18): All-Star Khris Middleton (30 points) and Brook Lopez (28) led the attack without Antetokounmpo, and Budenholzer was most impressed with Lopez's performance. In addition to matching a season best for points, Lopez contributed nine rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals while also knocking down five 3-pointers. "I thought he was phenomenal," Budenholzer said of Lopez. "Some of his shots were just very timely, then he's finishing in the paint, he's driving it, getting to the free-throw line. He did a lot of things offensively."
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (18-53): Collin Sexton recorded at least 20 points for the sixth straight time as he scored 27 against Detroit while Cedi Osman also was superb with 21 and six assists. "Those guys have come a long way, and you can certainly see the growth in their games," coach Larry Drew told reporters. "It tells me these guys are starting to get it." Sexton is averaging 26.5 points during his run and is a torrid 22-for-39 from 3-point range.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Bucks won this season's first two meetings by an average of 14 points.
2. Cleveland SG Jordan Clarkson has scored in double digits in 11 straight contests.
3. Milwaukee signed PG Tim Frazier and waived F Christian Wood.