Photo via Twitter / Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks closed out the January portion of the 2020-21 season with a pair of losses in very winnable matchups. On Friday, the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Bucks 131-126, but led by as much as 28 points in that game. A second half surge from Milwaukee kept things close and respectable in the final box score, but if you watched the game, you could see things weren’t clicking. Saturday night saw an even more winnable game slip through the Bucks’ hands, as Lamelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets pulled off a 126-114 upset. Giannis Antetokoumpo was visibly frustrated as he checked out of the game for the last time late in the 4th quarter. With the Bucks taking only one of three games on their most recent road trip, they’ll look ahead to tough opponents within the next week.
Monday, Feb. 1 vs. Portland (7 p.m., Fox Sports Wisconsin)
The Portland Trail Blazers are currently 7th in the Western Conference right now, but that doesn’t mean that their roster isn’t one of a true contender. Point guard Damian Lillard ranks in the top 10 players in the league right now in both scoring and assists, and he’s offensively supported by Carmelo Anthony, Rodney Hood and center Enes Kanter. While Portland won’t have another strong weapon on offense in the injured CJ McCollum, Portland are a deep team that can give the Bucks trouble for the full 48 minutes. If Milwaukee is going to return to their winning ways on Monday, they’ll have a tough opponent to get there.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
Wednesday, Feb. 3 vs. Indiana (6 p.m., ESPN)
The second team to come to Fiserv Forum this week is another playoff contender, this time in the East. The Indiana Pacers start this week matching the Bucks’ record of 11-8, and much like Milwaukee, have a versatile team that can be a tough test. Former Buck Malcolm Brogdon is currently leading the way for the Pacers in both points and assists, but their roster also includes Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, who are both averaging over 20 points per game. The Pacers will be coming in on the back end of playing on consecutive nights, which may work in Milwaukee’s favor, but Wednesday’s game may be a preview of an Eastern Conference playoff matchup.
Friday, Feb. 5 & Saturday, Feb. 6 at Cleveland (Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m., Fox Sports Wisconsin)
The Bucks’ hit the road on Friday and Saturday, for a pair of back-to-back games in Cleveland to kick off a six-game road trip. The Bucks beat the Cavaliers in their lone meeting earlier this season in Milwaukee, and did so without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was out with back spasms. In that matchup, center Andre Drummond scored 26 points and secured 24 rebounds, and will likely be a tough matchup for Giannis in the paint this time around. Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis picked up the slack for the MVP in that game, but Milwaukee will likely need to rely on more of their bench for this pair of games.
