Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: Bally Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live-tweets and discussion during the game
The short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder continue to struggle down the final stretch of the regular season, and despite their best efforts on Sunday, they dropped another loss in a 116-103 decision to the Utah Jazz. Life doesn’t simplify any time soon as they are now set to host the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.
The Bucks are fresh off an impressive 132-122 victory over the Phoenix Suns, owners of the league’s best record. Milwaukee has had some rather impressive stretches this season, and after losing 3 of their final 4 games headed into the All-Star Break, the Bucks have won 4 of their last 5 since returning to action with the one loss being a 3-point decision against the Brooklyn Nets. When you take a look at who the Bucks have played in that time—Brooklyn, Charlotte, Miami, Chicago, and Phoenix—then the stretch looks all the more impressive.
In those 5 games since returning from All-Star Weekend, the Bucks are averaging an incredible 124.6 points per game while shooting 48.7% from the field, including a ridiculous 40.1% from downtown. The matchup with the Thunder will be Milwaukee’s second road game in the stretch, but that shouldn’t bother the Bucks too much.
The reigning champs are a heavy favorite against the tanking Thunder, but we know all too well that OKC is capable of not just covering the spread against better teams but even pulling out a win every now and then. While I don’t expect OKC to knock off the Bucks, I do think they can keep this one to single digits and perhaps even make it a fight in the clutch.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Tre Mann
- SF: Aaron Wiggins
- PF: Aleksej Pokusevski
- C: Darius Bazley
Bucks
- PG: Jrue Holiday
- SG: DeAndre’ Bembry
- SF: Khris Middleton
- PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- C: Bobby Portis
Thunder
- Luguentz Dort is OUT (strained left shoulder).
- Derrick Favors is OUT (lower back soreness).
- Josh Giddey is OUT (right hip soreness).
- Ty Jerome is OUT (left hip soreness).
- Mike Muscala is OUT (right ankle soreness).
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is OUT (third metatarsal fracture in right foot).
- Isaiah Roby is OUT (lower back soreness).
- Kenrich Williams is OUT (sprained right knee).
Bucks
- Pat Connaughton is OUT (right finger surgery).
- George Hill is OUT ( neck soreness).
- Brook Lopez is OUT (back surgery).
- Wesley Matthews is OUT (left hamstring soreness).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 14-12 against the Bucks in the regular season (7-5 at home, 7-7 on the road).
- In 13 seasons, the Thunder has won the season series with the Bucks 4 times, lost it twice, and tied it 7 times.
- The Thunder tied the season series 1-1 last year (1-0 at home, 0-1 on the road).
- The Thunder is 0-1 against the Bucks so far this season (0-0 at home, 0-1 on the road).