Photo via Twitter / Bucks
Jrue Holiday and Bobby Portis
Whether you hear much about it or not, the Milwaukee Bucks are rolling right now. They come into the week on the strength of four of five wins in recent games, and winning eight of their last ten. The only loss in that stretch came at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers in a thriller that came down to the closing minutes, and Sunday night's slip up against the Houston Rockets. However, their impressive run and generally strong start to the 2022-23 season is only good for the second best record in the Eastern Conference and the NBA overall, trailing the Boston Celtics. Much of the media attention, however, has been on Boston at the top, rather than the team that is sneaking up on them.
The situation isn’t new for the Bucks; in fact it seems to be a position that they’re most comfortable in. During their 2020-21 title run, the national conversation around Milwaukee’s team was relatively centered on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s impressive performances night after night, but not about the team winning game after game. While the Bucks were still near the top of the Eastern Conference last season, the pressure of being defending champions seemed to catch up with the team, especially by the time the postseason rolled around. With the spotlight elsewhere, the Bucks seem to thrive. This week, though, they’ve got a pair of high-profile games with some superstar matchups, broadcast nationally for the world to see and judge accordingly. Here’s what is ahead:
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Tuesday, December 13 vs. Golden State (6:30 p.m., TNT)
The week begins with a return from a road game in Houston for the Bucks, and they’ll face much stiffer competition on Tuesday with the Golden State Warriors in town. Led by superstars Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, there’s no shortage of Warriors players that can take over for Golden State. Bolstering the bench for the Warriors are a slew of role-players, including former Bucks player Donte DiVincenzo, as well as Milwaukee’s own Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole. If all goes well, this could be an NBA Finals matchup, and certainly in any circumstances is a primetime nationally televised contest. Hopefully the home court advantage can propel the Bucks past Curry’s unreal shooting ability, as well as the rest of the balanced attack that Golden State brings.
Thursday, December 15 at Memphis (7 p.m., NBA TV)
On Thursday, the Bucks will head to Memphis, where an ever-rising star in Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies await. Coming into the week in second place in the Western Conference, the Grizzlies have won their last five games as well, with Morant being the core of the Grizzlies’ young roster. The team will be without a core component in guard Desmond Bane, who is sidelined with a toe injury, but it hasn’t seemed to affect Memphis too much. In a matchup that features a pair of nearly-unstoppable players in Giannis and Morant, both defenses will have their hands full on Thursday night, in what should be a high-scoring affair.
Saturday, December 17 vs Utah (7 p.m., Bally Sports Wisconsin)
The week concludes for Milwaukee back at home, with another Western Conference opponent in the Utah Jazz. A recent losing skid and various injuries affecting young players Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, and Collin Sexton have held the Jazz back, but not to the point that they are out of a complicated playoff picture in the West. If there’s any hope for reprieve for the Bucks’ stars this week, it comes in the weekend contest at home, unless Utah regains one of their young playmakers. Even with their currently hampered roster, the Jazz will most likely not go quietly into the night on Thursday, so expect a highly competitive tilt between the Bucks and Jazz.
