The Milwaukee Bucks shall be with out their star participant Giannis Antetokounmpo for yet one more sport once they tackle the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night time in San Francisco. Regardless of this setback, the Bucks have gained their final three video games, together with two consecutive victories over the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets, with Antetokounmpo sidelined as a result of a sore proper hand.
Brook Lopez, a California native and Stanford alum, has been spectacular in Antetokounmpo’s absence, scoring 26 factors in opposition to the Magic and recording an NBA-season-high 9 blocks in opposition to the Nets.
Lopez has been the vocal level for the Bucks, and he just lately shared his ideas on his spectacular defensive play. “If somebody’s gonna come on the rim, I am gonna attempt to be there to cease them from placing the ball within the basket. That is precisely what I attempt to do on the market. That is one of the simplest ways I can describe it,” he mentioned.
Of their solely earlier assembly this season again in December, Milwaukee beat the Warriors 128-111 at house. Antetokounmpo scored 30 factors however struggled along with his capturing, going 9-for-26 general and 1-for-6 on 3-point makes an attempt. This was not the primary time the two-time MVP has struggled in opposition to Warriors defensive stalwart Draymond Inexperienced.
Antetokounmpo has averaged simply 19.5 factors and seven.5 rebounds of their earlier conferences, capturing 47 % general and 21 % on 3-pointers. Inexperienced has led the Warriors to seven wins of their 11 contests along with his wonderful assists (5.9-4.5) and steals (1.5-1.3) report in opposition to Antetokounmpo.
The Warriors shall be hoping to make use of their house benefit within the sport, having gained six video games in a row at house. Nonetheless, they’re prone to be with out Andrew Wiggins, who has missed the final ten video games as a result of private causes, Gary Payton II, who has been out of motion for the final 12 video games as a result of stomach points, and Jonathan Kuminga, who sustained a sprained ankle throughout warmups earlier than their sport in opposition to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Regardless of Kuminga’s absence, Warriors coach Steve Kerr believes that the staff will come again stronger, stating that “there have been performs immediately the place we did not get into the ball. We had been actually delicate on the ball and never being the aggressor.”