Big-time stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard will each be driving spectacular sizzling streaks after they share the court docket on Monday evening.
Antetokounmpo’s crew is also the most popular within the NBA, and he’ll search to steer the Milwaukee Bucks to its eighth straight victory when it visits the Portland Trail Blazers.
Antetokounmpo has flashed his two-time NBA MVP kind through the profitable streak, recording a double-double in every recreation whereas posting averages of 39.4 factors, 14.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists. He has outputs of 54 and 50 factors and posted a triple-double with 35 factors, 15 rebounds and 11 assists in Saturday’s 123-115 house victory over the Miami Heat.
The triple-double was Antetokounmpo’s third of the season and thirty second of his profession.
“He’s got to be willing to pass and play with his teammates, and we’ve got to make shots,” Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer mentioned of Antetokounmpo. “I think he did that. It starts with him being aggressive, him drawing extra defenders. His teammates have got to make plays around him.”
The current sizzling stretch has allowed the Bucks to maneuver inside one recreation of the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics.
Antetokounmpo scored 37 factors when Milwaukee notched a 119-111 house victory over Portland on Nov. 21 for its eleventh win previously 13 video games within the collection. Lillard sat out that contest with a calf harm.
Lillard is absolutely wholesome now and has scored at the least 40 factors 4 instances over the previous seven video games, together with a season-high 60 in opposition to the Utah Jazz on Jan. 25.
The Trail Blazers are 5-2 throughout that span regardless of dropping a 129-121 determination to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Lillard scored 40 factors through the setback.
Lillard is averaging 40 factors and has made 36 3-pointers through the seven-game stretch.
Portland appeared drained within the second half of the loss to the Bulls, a contest during which they squandered a 17-point benefit. The Trail Blazers had recovered from a 20-point deficit one evening earlier whereas rallying for a 124-116 win over the Washington Wizards.
“I think it is a factor. You start to feel some fatigue,” Lillard mentioned of taking part in a street back-to-back. “You have some mistakes and some breakdowns and stuff like that, and I think that’s probably something that comes from being out there back-to-back nights.”
Portland coach Chauncey Billups might see it, too. He felt his squad merely ran out of gasoline.
“I worried about that, but, man, we fought,” Billups mentioned. “I’m proud of our dudes. We fought the whole game. We had our chances, still, just couldn’t get over the hump. I just knew that we were tired.”
The Trail Blazers entered Sunday in eleventh place within the Western Conference with a key stretch arriving. Monday’s assembly is the primary of 5 straight house video games coming into the All-Star break and among the many opponents are the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Bucks would be the greatest check of the group with Antetokounmpo taking part in at a supreme degree and sidekick Khris Middleton coming off a season-high, 24-point outing in opposition to the Heat.
Middleton has been restricted to 14 video games this season attributable to knee, wrist and ankle accidents. But he’s averaging 19.3 factors over the previous three video games whereas taking part in simply 20 minutes in every contest.
“He’s just being himself,” Bucks guard Grayson Allen mentioned of Middleton. “I don’t think it’s anything we’re doing. It’s pretty amazing. He’s putting up regular, average numbers coming off the bench with a minutes restriction right now. He’s killing it.”
Portland can be with out heart Jusuf Nurkic (calf) for the third straight recreation. He received’t return till after the All-Star break.
