Bucks Zone

GAME DAY PREVIEW AND INJURY REPORT: The Milwaukee start four-game homestand, clash with the Utah Jazz

The Bucks will be playing their next four games at home.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports
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After an unproductive three-game road trip, the Milwaukee Bucks return home to take on the Utah Jazz on Monday night. The Bucks went 1-2 in their three-game road trip, which ended with a 108-112 loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.

Milwaukee was impressive in December, where they just lost twice in 13 games. The Bucks, however, are dismal to start 2024, where they have already dropped three of their first four games. Two of the losses were dealt by Milwaukee’s budding rivals, the Indiana Pacers.

A much-needed schedule

Despite the faulty start in January, Milwaukee remains in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 25-11 record. The contest against Utah is the first of a four-game homestand for the Bucks, a friendly schedule that will give them a chance to improve its slate further. Milwaukee has been pretty solid at home, where it is 16-3 so far.

Utah is currently 12th in the Western Conference with a 17-20 record. The Jazz has been playing well of late, saw them win four of their last five games. Utah won three straight games, beating Miami, Dallas, and Detroit. 

The Jazz then lost to the Boston Celtics, 97-126, but recovered immediately by beating the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night, 120-109. Utah is 6-15 on the road and is 8-16 when playing against over .500 teams.

Injury report

Milwaukee will be without Damian Lillard (personal reasons), as well as Cameron Payne (concussion protocols) and Jae Crowder (left adductor surgery).

The Jazz have no players on the injured list. 

Khris Middleton was benched for the entire second half of the Bucks-Spurs game, but Griffin insists the veteran shooter is not injured

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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.