Bucks release second-half schedule
The NBA released its second half schedule Wednesday and for Milwaukee it features 36 games between March 11 and May 16.
The Bucks will return from the All-Star break with a game at Fiserv Forum against the New York Knicks before heading on the road for three games, including two in Washington.
Milwaukee will play 10 games on national TV (ABC, ESPN, TNT), including marquee matchups with Philadelphia (March 17), at the Los Angeles Lakers (March 31) and two consecutive games against Brooklyn (May 2, May 4).
The longest road trip of the second half runs from March 29-April 8 with games against the LA Clippers, Lakers, Portland, Sacramento, Golden State and Dallas. Four of those six teams are currently in position to make the playoffs in the Western Conference. Milwaukee will play 16 games in the month of April and 11 will be away from home.
The Bucks are currently 19-13 on the year and sitting third in the Eastern Conference. They are 1.5 games back of second-place Brooklyn and 2.0 games back of the Sixers.
https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1364673461357019139
PODCAST: Rekt
Hockey Insider Barry Richter & Badgers Associate Head Coach Mark Strobel (0:00)
Wisconsin Basketball Update (19:08)
Packers Needs (29:30)
Brewers Chatter (40:43)
Milwaukee's Khris Middleton not among Eastern Conference reserves for All-Star Game
Milwaukee will have just one representative at the NBA All-Star Game next month.
The league announced the reserves Tuesday and forward Khris Middleton did not make the cut.
“I’m a little disappointed, I’m not going to lie,” Middleton said after the Bucks beat Minnesota at Fiserv Forum. “But I definitely want to say congrats to all those guys that did make it.”
Middleton had made the game the last two years but it can be argued that this season has been the best of his career. He’s averaging 20.5 points and six rebounds per game, both of which are just off his career-highs set last season. Other numbers are the best of his time with the Bucks, including shooting 50.5% from the field and handing out 5.7 assists per game. He’s also hitting at a 43.1% clip from beyond the arc, the second-best percentage of his career.
“We feel like Khris is an All-Star. We feel like he deserves it,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “The numbers, and everything, his efficiency, and what he does in a game on both ends of the court is very special.”
Three of the players that beat out Middleton will be first-timers: Boston’s Jaylen Brown, Chicago’s Zach LaVine and New York’s Julius Randle. The rest of the reserves on the Eastern Conference side include Brooklyn’s James Harden, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Orlando’s Nikola Vučević.
“The other players that made the team are having a great season,” said Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will start his fifth consecutive All-Star Game. “But Khris is an All-Star. Bottom line, he’s an All-Star.”
Bucks beat Minnesota for third straight win
Minnesota owned the worst record in the NBA coming into their matchup with Milwaukee on Tuesday night. After allowing the Timberwolves to hang around for a quarter, the Bucks took control in a 139-112 win, their third victory in a row.
Milwaukee led 38-36 after the first quarter before outscoring the visitors by 15 the rest of the first half. The Bucks increased their lead in the third, heading to the final quarter up 23. Minnesota got to within 15 in the fourth but go no closer.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points on 13-for-18 shooting from the field and went 10-for-13 from the free throw line. In just 29 minutes of action he added eight rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a pair of blocks in the blowout victory.
Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez each had 15 points, and Donte DiVincenzo had 13 points and five assists.
Milwaukee got a season-high 23 points from Bryn Forbes (5-for-9 3P) off the bench, while Bobby Portis had 14 points and six rebounds.
The Bucks hit 20 3-pointers, the sixth time this year they made 20 or more shots from beyond the arc.
Karl-Anthony Towns had a double double with 26 points and 11 assists for Minnesota. Guard Malik Beasley also had 26 for the Timberwolves, who were playing their first game under new coach Chris Finch.
Milwaukee improved to 19-13 on the year and 3-2 on its current eight-game home stand. Next up is a visit from New Orleans on Thursday.
PODCAST: Here to Stay
Brewers Chatter (0:00)
Jamaal Williams Staying in GB? (14:55)
Retooling the Packers Offensive Line (32:17)
Brewers Showing Interest in Jackie Bradley Jr. (41:30)
Aaron Rodgers Love Life (49:35)
The Swing: Feb. 22, 2021
On this episode of The Swing, Zach and Jesse dissect the good and bad from the last three games, talk about a couple seniors playing better and a couple others that are struggling, where the Badgers stand a couple weeks out from Selection Sunday and discuss the biggest "what if" moments in Wisconsin basketball history.
Badgers drop two spots in latest AP Top 25
Wisconsin is just 6-6 in its last 12 games but the Badgers remain in the latest AP Top 25 poll.
Coming off a week in which it lost by 15 to then-No. 11 Iowa and then beat Northwestern by 17, UW moved down two spots to No. 23 in the poll released Monday morning.
The Badgers are one of five Big Ten teams ranked and the only one not in the top 10 of the poll. Michigan was still No. 3, followed by Ohio State at No. 4 and Illinois at No. 5. The Hawkeyes jumped up two spots to No. 9.
Wisconsin will face the Illini on Saturday, then go to Purdue, which is receiving votes in this week’s poll, and then finish with a game at Iowa to close the regular season.
Unbeaten Gonzaga and Baylor continue to be at the top of the poll, with the Zags at No. 1 and Bears at No. 2.
PODCAST: Just Getting By
Wisconsin-Northwestern Recap (0:00)
Packers Cuts & J.J. Watt Watch (20:58)
Sports Director Zach Heilprin (36:09)
Brewers Pitchers Turning Heads (49:32)
Giannis, Middleton combine for 70 points in win vs Sacramento
Milwaukee’s two stars lit up the scoreboard Sunday night in a 128-115 win against Sacramento.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points, 18 rebounds and four assists, while Khris Middleton had 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Half of Antetokounmpo’s points came at the charity stripe, as he made a career-best 19 free throws on 24 attempts.
Donte DiVincenzo chipped in 16 points, while Pat Connaughton and Bryn Forbes combined for 22 off the bench.
Playing in his home state for the first time since high school, Oshkosh native Tyrese Haliburton scored 23 points and had eight assists to lead the Kings.
Bucks point guard Jrue Holiday missed his seventh straight game due to the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols, but could be getting close to a return as he attended the game.
Roughly 1,800 fans were allowed in the building, the first time the general public was able to watch a game at Fiserv Forum since last March.
Milwaukee improved to 18-13 on the year and has now split the first four games of eight straight at home. The Bucks will host Minnesota on Tuesday night.
(21) Wisconsin 68, Northwestern 51: Last word
No. 21 Wisconsin snapped its two-game losing streak Sunday with a 68-51 win at Northwestern to sweep the season series.
Player of the Game: Micah Potter
The senior big man had a second strong offensive game, scoring a game-high 19 points (7-for-8 on FGs) and grabbing eight rebounds. He drilled all three of his 3-pointers and is now 6-for-9 from deep in the last two games. Potter added three assists to go along with a pair of steals as the Badgers handed Northwestern its 13th straight loss.
The good: Taking care of business
After a pair of deflating home losses to Michigan and Iowa, it was going to be interesting to see how the Badgers responded against one of the worst teams in the conference. Would they play down to their opponent or clearly show they were the better team? Thankfully for Wisconsin, it was the latter. With five guys scoring in double figures and a strong defensive effort, the Badgers got the win it desperately needed considering their remaining schedule features games against Illinois, Purdue and the Hawkeyes.
The not so good: Shooting
Wisconsin’s shooting woes are well-documented, including a season-worst 30.0% against Iowa on Thursday. And while the Badgers were better against the Wildcats, they still only shot 41.1% from the field. Two of the biggest reasons were Aleem Ford and Nate Reuvers. The senior duo combined to shoot 1-for-13 and are now shooting 25.8% over the last four games, and that includes Ford going 5-for-8 against Michigan.
It’s worth noting that Ford contributed in other ways, grabbing five rebounds and handing out a season-high four assists.
Stat of the Game: 21
That’s how many points Wisconsin scored off of Northwestern’s 14 turnovers.
Best Video
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In Case You Missed It
— Wisconsin was without senior point guard Trevor Anderson for a second straight game. UW said he his dealing with an upper-body injury. Coach Greg Gard labeled him day-to-day.
— With Anderson out and Tyler Wahl dealing with foul trouble in the first half, true freshman Carter Gilmore saw some meaningful minutes for the first time in his career. The walk-on played five minutes and was 0-for-2 from the field.
— Wisconsin held Northwestern under 70 points for the 43rd straight game.
-- Wisconsin got 31 points from its bench. In addition to Potter's 19 points, Jonathan Davis had 12. He also had two rebounds, two assists and three steals.
-- After going 3-for-15 against Iowa, D'Mitrik Trice was 5-for-6 from the field and scored 13 points. That included going 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. The Badgers were 24 points better than Northwestern when he was on the floor.
-- The Badgers improved to 5-3 on the road in Big Ten playing, guaranteeing them at least a .500 record away from Madison for the second straight season.
What’s next?
Wisconsin (16-8, 10-7) won’t play again until Saturday when No. 5 Illinois (16-5, 12-3) visits the Kohl Center.
