Game Previews

Nets host Bucks in noon game on Super Bowl Sunday

By Brian Fleurantin Feb 3, 2018, 10:35pm EST

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It was a happy reunion for one person. Brook Lopez made his return to Brooklyn on Friday when the Lakers visited Barclays Center to play the Nets. The big fella had a solid game and helped LA come away with a three point win.

The opponent today will be the Milwaukee Bucks. It's been a tumultuous year for the Bucks, but they're still in great position to make it to the playoffs. They won in the final seconds against the Knicks on Friday night. The Nets game is the first leg of a four-game road trip. They stay in New York to play the Knicks on Tuesday before starting a back-to-back in Miami and then Orlando.

Coaching the Bucks is Joe Prunty, who had been Jason Kidd’s assistant in Brooklyn and filled in for Kidd the first two games of the 2013-14 season when the boss was suspended for his DUI. After the Bucks fired Kidd, Milwaukee’s front office agree to keep the veteran assistant for the rest of the season.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. WFAN 101.9 FM on radio. Thanks to the Super Bowl, we're tipping off after noon.

Injuries

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is still dealing with a groin injury and will likely miss today's game. Isaiah Whitehead is back with the Long Island Nets. No indication he’ll be back Sunday after playing Saturday night.

Malcolm Brogdon will be out six to eight weeks after partially tearing a tendon in his left quadriceps.

The game

Milwaukee won the first game last week.

Good luck trying to slow down the Greek Freak. Giannis Antetokounmpo has continued to grow and has been a Top 10 player in the league this year. He's a legit MVP candidate, and earlier this season, I wrote:

He roasted the Nets for 41 points last week, so Kenny Atkinson and friends will try something new to slow him down.

If the Nets can control the boards, they'll have a great chance at winning the game. Milwaukee is the third worst rebounding team in the league this year while the Nets are in the middle of the pack. This presents a great opportunity for Jarrett Allen to make a big impact. The kid has been fantastic since he was inserted into the starting lineup, and he's dreaming big. He'll match up with Thon Maker. Maker hasn't played as well as he did last year, but he's still incredibly young and has loads of potential.

Player to watch: Jabari Parker

Welcome back! Parker returned to action on Friday almost one year to the day when he tore his ACL. It's been a long road back for the former lottery back and things are very different from when he was last on the court with his team. He's on a minutes restriction, so look for him to play around 15 minutes.

On the other side of the injury return game is D'Angelo Russell. DLo has been working his way back into form and played almost 24 minutes on Friday. He's facing a big test this week. The Nets open a back to back set on Tuesday as they host the Rockets before heading to Detroit to play the Pistons on Wednesday. Russell didn't play both ends of the b2b the last time it came up, so if he's able to do it this time, it'll be a great sign for his recovery.

From the Vault

It's Super Bowl Sunday and the game is in Minneapolis. You know what time it is

Nets host Bucks in noon game on Super Bowl Sunday

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