Giannis-less Bucks next for Memphis on Friday

There are few things as helpful as two days off to recharge the brain and body during a marathon season. Most of the league benefited because of the Christmas Day festivities, but now it’s another long stretch until the All-Star break.

The Memphis Grizzlies return on Friday against what’s left of the Milwaukee Bucks. These are the games that usually sneak up on teams when a star player of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s caliber is absent, and strangely, the Grizzlies are one of seven squads with a better road record (8-8) than at home (6-8). With the right approach, this should be another stepping stone to get the team closer to .500.

Here is what you need to know.

Make life difficult for Kevin Porter Jr. and lock in on AJ Green

The Bucks have relied on Porter to carry more of the offense with Antetokounmpo out. He’s quietly having a solid season as a playmaker, averaging a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio, while scoring effectively in the lane. He tries to open up the perimeter while prolonging his dribbling, so in many cases, the low man will be enough help, while others stay attached to the shooters. His top two targets are Bobby Portis (11.0) and Myles Turner (9.6).

Help cannot be given off of AJ Green, either. He has been Milwaukee’s best long-range weapon this season, making 45.1 percent of 3-point attempts.

Avoid the ball sticking

The Bucks have been a top-six defense over the last five games, so it’s going to take active ball and body movement, which the Grizzlies’ skeleton crew should have no problems with. One of the specific areas the Bucks have been strong in over that span is containing transition, so the Grizzlies cannot mess around with turnovers in the open court, giving them easy baskets.

Jaren Jackson Jr. needs to be dependable off the catch to punish Milwaukee when they decide to help. They will also need him to overwhelm the lane to absorb help defenders. And a repeat performance for Santi Aldama from the Utah win, in which he made seven 3-pointers, would be a big help. They might need to throw out an unconventional lineup, like going with Aldama, in the front court with two other bigs.

Quality bench production

The Grizzlies, even with the absences, have the best scoring bench in the NBA at 48 points per game. The Bucks are one of the better teams at limiting second-chance points, so aside from scoring on extra opportunities, the bench will need to give a little more to help control the possession battle on the glass and by forcing turnovers.