WHO: Brooklyn Nets (28-26) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (38-13)
WHAT: The Nets are back home, with some good news, to take on the best team in the East - and a possible future teammate of D’Angelo Russell’s (All-Star game teammate...All-Star Game).
WHERE: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. EST
HOW: YES, FSWIS; NBA League Pass
Did we mention DLo is an All-Star?
HE IS AN ALL-STAR. Represent D-Lo with this brand new shirt N:OW ➡️
— NetsDaily.com (@NetsDaily) February 1, 2019
https://t.co/noRYW20ujx pic.twitter.com/fsdkX04Qb3
THE STORY: Game Preview
The Bucks could be in possession of someone the Nets might be looking at and his name is Thon Maker. Also it’s been a longstanding theory of mine backed by no actual research but a lot of just me noticing things, that teams who play each other close to the trade deadline are more likely to trade with each other. If the Bucks front office brass make the trip to Brooklyn, it wouldn’t be too tough to get some face time with Sean Marks.
Maker is sitting out presumably because he’s on his way out, so the Bucks frontline is anchored by Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo (I guess, I mean who knows what “position” he plays anymore), D.J. Wilson, and Ersan Ilyasova. Brook, as has been well documented, is one of the best big man shooters in league now, hitting 2.5 threes a game on 38 percent shooting. The Bucks as a team attempt the second most three pointers in the league at 37.7 per game behind the Rockets 44.3 which is just like, so many threes. The Nets are 6th at 34.4 attempts. So this one’s going to be a shootout.
For more on the Bucks, check out: Brew Hoop
Like the old song goes, the Bucks just keep rolling along. Winners of three straight by double-digits after exacting revenge on the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee continues to pull away from the rest of the Eastern Conference pack. Seriously, this team’s biggest problems are at backup power forward; Ersan Ilyasova hasn’t played well, and Thon Maker hasn’t played since his agent flew too close to the sun on the wings of a trade request. Sterling Brown and D.J. Wilson have each contributed enough to the second-unit that Thon’s services haven’t been necessary, and we’ll see between now and Friday if anything changes. (Editor’s note: don’t expect anything.)
On the health side of things, Eric Bledsoe should be available after missing the Washington game with an Achilles injury. Jason Smith (knee soreness) is questionable, and Donte DiVincenzo(heel) is still out.