Bucks Zone

GAME DAY PREVIEW AND INJURY REPORT: The red-hot Milwaukee Bucks battle Jrue Holiday and the Boston Celtics

The Bucks are in for a huge test against Jrue and the Celtics.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
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Two heavyweights collide as the Milwaukee Bucks battle the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden on Wednesday night. The Bucks will put their five-game winning streak on the line against a Celtics team that will be parading former Milwaukee point guard Jrue Holiday.

Holiday was a key piece during his three-year stint with Milwaukee and played a huge role when the Bucks won the championship in 2021. Jrue's stint with the squad came to an abrupt end when a major offseason deal sent him to the Blazers and eventually to the Celtics, with Damian Lillard landing in Milwaukee.

The giants in the East

The deal seemed to have benefited both teams, as they are atop the Eastern Conference standings. Boston occupies the No. 1 spot in the East with an 11-3 record, while Milwaukee is tied with the Philadelphia Sixers in second place with identical 10-4 records.

The Bucks are on a roll that saw them racking up five straight wins, their longest winning streak in the season so far. Giannis Antetokounmpo is also on a tear, coming off back-to-back 40-point games that propelled Milwaukee’s hot streak.

Lillard has also been playing solid, while Khris Middleton, Malik Beasley, Bobby Portis Jr., and Cameron Payne are doing their part in Milwaukee’s surge. A win against the Celtics would catapult the Bucks to the top spot, which will be a major turnaround for a team that got off to a slow start marred by two blowout losses.

The C's are looking to bounce back from a sorry defeat as they squandered an 18-point lead in a 118-121 overtime loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.

Injury report

Lillard (left oblique strain), MarJon Beauchamp (right ankle sprain), and Chris Livingston (left ankle sprain) are listed as probable, while Jae Crowder (left adductor surgery) is out for the Bucks.

Boston has no players on the injured list.

Bobby Portis’ focus is all set on the Bucks’ upcoming titanic clash with the Celtics: “I’m ready”

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.