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GAME DAY PREVIEW AND INJURY REPORT: The Milwaukee Bucks face Denver Nuggets in Giannis-Jokic mega clash
The Milwaukee Bucks play their first game under new head coach Doc Rivers as they play the defending champions Denver Nuggets to start a five-game road trip on Monday night.
Rivers is filling the void vacated by Adrian Griffin, who was fired 43 games into his NBA coaching career. The Bucks went 2-1 since Griffin’s firing, with assistant coach Joe Prunty calling the shots.
Rivers is coming in with Milwaukee holding a 32-14 record, good for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks are just three games behind the 35-11 Boston Celtics.
Milwaukee is coming off a 141-117 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The 24-point win capped Milwaukee’s three-game homestand, where it went 2-1.
The Bucks are taking on a Nuggets team that has won their last four games at home. Denver is 18-4 at home this season and is currently in fourth place in the Western Conference with a 32-15 record.
The Greek Freak versus The Joker
Milwaukee and Denver are playing against each other for the first time this season. The Bucks-Nuggets collision will feature two of the league’s dominant big men, with Giannis Antetokounmpo going up against Nikola Jokic.
Giannis is leading the Bucks in scoring with 31.0 points and rebounding with 11.7 boards per game. The two-time MVP also leads Milwaukee in steals with 1.3 per contest.
Just like the Greek Freak, the Joker is also putting up big numbers this season. Jokic is Denver’s leading scorer with 26.3 points and leading rebounder with 12.0 points per game. Nikola also leads the Nuggets in assists with 8.9 a contest.
Injury report
Antetokounmpo (illness) is listed as probable. Out for the Bucks is TyTy Washington Jr. (two-way).
The Nuggets will be without Julian Strawther (knee) and Vlatko Cancar (knee).
