Bucks Zone

Game preview and injury report: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Golden State Warriors

The Bucks are looking to get back to winning ways in a marquee matchup against the Warriors.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks have returned home after a two-game road trip in Texas, as they are set to take on the defending champions, Golden State Warriors, in a marquee matchup and the battle of superstars.

Game preview

The Bucks are coming off a surprising loss to the Houston Rockets in one of their worst games of the year. Giannis Antetokounmpo had the worst game of his season, and Khris Middleton left the game early with an ankle injury. 

But the NBA season is long and full of bumps on the road, and Milwaukee won't take this loss too much to heart. After all, they have to turn around and get ready to face the defending champions as they continue their quest for the #1 seed. With the Celtics having a few slip-ups, this is the perfect opportunity to reclaim the top of the East.

On the other side, Golden State has had a slow start to their title defense. At 14-13, the Warriors are 9th in the crowded Western Conference, but they have been on a slow rise. The 12-2 home record makes you think the defending champions are unstoppable, but they have been disastrous on the road, winning only 2 out of 13 games in opponents' arenas.

Stephen Curry is having arguably the greatest start to a season ever, averaging 30.0 ppg, 7.0 apg, and 6.6 rpg. But the support has been lacking, most notably from Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, who have both been inconsistent thus far.

Jordan Poole is once again the Warriors' spark plug off the bench. He's also the only youngster on this roster who's been able to (somewhat) live up to the expectations.  If Golden State wants to take their game to the next level, they will need guys like Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody to break out and help Curry. 

Injury report

Despite twisting his ankle in the last game, Khris Middleton is probable to play tonight, while Jrue Holiday is listed as questionable.

On the other side, Andre Igoudala (hip) and Andrew Wiggins (groin) are out, while Draymond Green has been upgraded to probable after suffering a left ankle sprain.

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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.