Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets: Match Preview and Predictions - 18th January 2020
Match details
Fixture: Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets
Date & Time: Saturday, 18 January 2020 (6:00 p.m. ET)
Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Last Game Results
Milwaukee Bucks (37-6): 128-123 win over the Boston Celtics (16 January, Thursday)
Brooklyn Nets (18-22): 106-117 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers (15 January, Wednesday)
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks survived a fourth quarter surge by the Boston Celtics as they escaped by five points despite leading by as much as 27 points at one stage.
The Bucks started off strong, scoring 76 in the first half and making 12 of their 15 shots from beyond the arc. After halftime though, the team struggled to get back to their red-hot shooting streak and had to look to Giannis Antetokounmpo to take over.
The Bucks obviously have some stuff to work on, especially regarding their bench's performance. Nevertheless, they remain on top of the whole league at 37-6.
They will look to extend their winning streak to six as they go on a trip to the Big Apple and face the Brooklyn Nets.
Key Player - Eric Bledsoe
The Bucks' superstar Giannis will most likely produce another top performance next game. However, Eric Bledsoe will be key to this game too, as the Net's strength is in their back court.
Bledsoe only played for 20 minutes against the Celtics and ended the game with 9 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds. He was outperformed by backups Hill and DiVicenzo, but he has shown in the past that he's capable of contributing more than his stat line last night.
A great defender, Bledsoe should look to contain Kyrie and Dinwiddie when matched up against them. Frustrating their PG can lead to bone-headed plays and on-court mishaps for the Nets, which the Bucks can take advantage of.
Bledsoe should also look to be more aggressive in order to tire out the Nets' defenders.
Bucks Predicted Lineup
Eric Bledsoe, Wesley Matthews, Khris Middleton, Ersan Ilyasova, Brook Lopez
Brooklyn Nets Preview
The Nets just got their prized star Kyrie Irving back this week. Just three games in though, he had already managed to stir the waters with his comments on the Nets' roster.
This was after their loss against the Sixers last game, where they shot 43.7% from the field and 60% from the free throw line.
Many believe Uncle Drew's statements aren't wrong though, as the Nets badly need perimeter defenders and one or two more right pieces to truly compete. Whether that's true or not and whether his teammates are actually affected or not, it's obviously not great for team morale; the media and fans are eating this up right now.
Brooklyn will look to ignore the outside noise as they go up against the Bucks on the road with a near-complete lineup.
Key Player - Kyrie Irving
Kyrie only made 6 of his 21 attempts from the field against the Sixers and ended the game with 14 points. Only Joe Harris scored lower than him in the starting lineup, as he shot 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
The 6'2" guard will have to be much better next game if he wants his team to beat the top-seeded Bucks. He will be matched up against Eric Bledsoe, a great defensive guard who can also run the offense well.
Kyrie should look to challenge Bledsoe and the Bucks' defense, making wiser decisions on when to take over the game and when to set his teammates up to get them going. A little more accountability could help his team have the success they want to achieve.
Nets Predicted Lineup
Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, Taurean Waller-Prince, Jarrett Allen
Bucks vs Nets Match Prediction
While the Nets are the hot topic right now for possible locker room issues, the Bucks have constantly shown their great chemistry on and off the court. This should be a win for the Bucks as they are just much better on both offense and defense.
Where to Watch Bucks vs Nets?
You can tune in to FOX Sports Wisconsin, YES and FOX Sports North to watch the game live. You can also live stream it via NBA League Pass.