Mavericks vs. Bucks Preview: 3 things to consider as Milwaukee comes to town…
On Saturday night, the Dallas Mavericks will host the Milwaukee Bucks at the American Airlines Center. After losing the first two games under their new bench boss, Doc Rivers, Milwaukee is looking for their first victory under his leadership. After losing their first meeting in Milwaukee, Dallas is hoping to salvage a split in this, their second and final game of the season series.
Dante Exum is already out, and Dereck Lively II and Kyrie Irving are marked as doubtful for this one. This game against the Bucks is extremely challenging because of the ongoing injury bug. Although Dallas is at a major disadvantage in terms of talent and fitness, both clubs are desperate to win. As the Mavericks attempt to return to the winning column, keep an eye out for these three things.
Two households with similar levels of dignity
The Bucks and Mavericks of this season are comparable in that Milwaukee is marginally superior in practically every area. The Bucks are ranked third in offensive rating and 19th in defensive rating, according NBA statistics. The Mavericks, however, rank 23rd on defense and 10th on offense. Dallas is tenth while Milwaukee is third in terms of pace. In terms of three-pointers made per game, both teams rank in the top 10. Thus, both Dallas and Milwaukee aim to play with quickness, make three-pointers, and overlook defense. The Mavericks must outshoot the Bucks from three-point range and maintain their composure on the glass in order to win this game; Milwaukee (tenth) leads Dallas (27th) in rebounding. They can accomplish this by focusing on targeting the offensive glass, an area in which they have outperformed the Bucks this year.
Who will take over as Luka Doncic’s stand-in?
When Dallas and Milwaukee last faced one other, Kyrie Irving scored 39 points. 35 of his own were added by Doncic in a tight loss. You can be certain that Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo will receive theirs. Someone (or more likely, a collective someone) will need to step up and give Doncic with scoring in Irving’s absence if Dallas is to stay competitive. Perhaps Tim Hardaway Jr. recovers from his embarrassing performance in Minnesota. Perhaps Josh Green can continue his recent winning streak. The role players will have to capitalize on the opportunities that Doncic will undoubtedly present to them.
Is there room for improvement in the defense?
The Mavericks have the lowest defensive rating in the NBA through the past ten games. The eye test confirms it, as someone who has seen every minute of these games can attest to. Right now, Dallas’ defense is a total mess, and it looks like Lively—their most important defender—will miss his second straight game. I’m not sure how this club is going to stop the Bucks, who are such an attacking force. In a nutshell, the answer is no. The only thing Maverick supporters can hope for is that Milwaukee forgets they can score freely in the paint and goes cold from three. The struggling Mavericks won’t find an internal solution to strengthen their defense, thus on Saturday night they’ll probably keep losing ground in the defensive rating standings.
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