Bucks Zone

GAMEDAY PREVIEW AND INJURY REPORT: The Milwaukee Bucks play the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2nd time in three days, eye 4th-straight win

The Bucks are 2-1 against the Cavaliers this season.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee BucksCleveland Cavaliers

The Milwaukee Bucks look to stretch their winning run to four when they play the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time in three days on Friday night.

The two teams just played each other on Wednesday night, with the Bucks scoring a 126-116 victory. It was Milwaukee’s first game since the firing of coach Adrian Griffin.

Milwaukee and Cleveland are playing their final match of their four-game regular-season series. The Bucks lead the series 2-1.

Giannis went to work

Cleveland manhandled Milwaukee in their previous meeting last week, 95-135, Giannis Antetokounmpo was sidelined with a shoulder injury in that 40-point loss but helped the Bucks avenge the blowout loss by putting on a triple-double performance last Wednesday.

Giannis led Milwaukee’s 10-point win by completing his seventh triple-double of the season with 35 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Damian Lillard had 28 points, and Khris Middleton added 24 as the Bucks surged to their third-straight win and snapped the Cavaliers’ eight-game winning streak.

The Bucks have won their four games at home, where they are 20-4 so far. The Cavaliers are 11-8 on the road.

Milwaukee is second in the Eastern Conference with a 31-13 record, while Cleveland is 26-16, good for fifth spot in the East.

Antetokounmpo is averaging 31.1 points in the last 10 games, while Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell has produced 27.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.9 steals over the last 10 games.

Injury report

Antetokounmpo is listed as probable for the Bucks due to back spasms.

Ty Jerome (ankle), Darius Garland (jaw), and Evan Mobley (knee) are out for the Cavaliers. 

Malik Beasley reaches 5,000 career points in win vs. Cavaliers

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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.