Bucks Zone

GAME DAY PREVIEW AND INJURY REPORT: The Milwaukee Bucks face the Memphis Grizzlies before All-Star break

The Bucks eye a quick recovery versus the Grizzlies.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks try to head to the All-Star break with a win as they take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night.

The Bucks ended their four-game homestand with a disappointing 97-123 loss to the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. The Bucks went 2-2 in the Fiserv Forum, which came after an unproductive 1-4 road trip.

On-and-off Bucks

Milwaukee appeared to right the ship when they scored two straight wins behind a strong defensive effort, winning over the Charlotte Hornets, 120-84, and against the defending champions Denver Nuggets, 112-95. The Bucks, however, took a step back when they dished out a dismal performance against the Heat in a contest where they trailed by as many as 31 points.

The Bucks are just 3-6 under Doc Rivers, but they are still in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 35-20 record. Facing a Memphis team that has been plagued with injuries may be the break that Milwaukee needs to head to the long break on a winning note.

The injury-ravaged Grizzlies are currently 13th in the Western Conference with a 19-36 record. Memphis lost nine games in a row before scoring a 121-113 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

Injury report

Damian Lillard (ankle) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) are both listed as probable for the Bucks. Khris Middleton will miss his fifth straight game due to a sprained ankle.

Ja Morant (shoulder), Brandon Clarke (Achilles), Marcus Smart (finger), Desmond Bane (ankle), and Jake LaRavia (ankle) are all out for the Grizzlies. 

Pat Connaughton says the Milwaukee Bucks aren't paying attention to their record under Doc Rivers

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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.