Following a four-game road trip, the Milwaukee Bucks will look to keep their offense rolling Monday night as they return home for a meeting with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Milwaukee won three of four games and averaged 128 points during the trip. The Bucks are coming off Thursday’s 131-107 loss to the Suns, which snapped their four-game win streak to open February.
Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday paced Milwaukee with 21 points apiece, and Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists on 5-of-14 shooting. Bobby Portis chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds.
After trailing by eight at halftime, things fell apart for the Bucks in the third quarter, as Phoenix outscored them 33-21.
“Honestly, they played well. They came out and executed. We missed a couple shots,” Holiday said. “I know my defense personally starting the third quarter was really bad. Really bad. But they came out and executed and took care of business.”
Pat Connaughton sustained a fractured fourth metacarpal in his right hand during Thursday’s game and will undergo surgery. The club hopes he can return before the end of the regular season.
Also, Brook Lopez is doubtful as he continues to recover from back surgery, and George Hill also could miss Monday’s game with a neck injury.
Serge Ibaka could make his debut against the Blazers. The Bucks gave up Donte DiVincenzo, Rodney Hood and Semi Ojeleye in a four-team trade to get the 32-year-old Ibaka.
Portland has started to find its rhythm, winning successive games after dropping six straight. After beating the Lakers on Wednesday, the Trail Blazers erased a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter Saturday to earn a 112-103 win over the Knicks, wrapping up a five-game homestand.
Anfernee Simons poured in 30 points on 11-of-23 shooting and had eight assists for Portland. Josh Hart scored 23, and Jusuf Nurkic went for 12 to go along with 20 rebounds. Ben McLemore made a significant contribution off the bench, finishing with 17 points and five rebounds.
With Damian Lillard out after undergoing surgery to repair a core injury, and CJ McCollum traded to New Orleans, Simons has taken full advantage of his increased role. The third-year guard has scored in double figures in 20 of his past 21 games, averaging 22.9 points a game.
“Been a blessing to get this kind of opportunity to play my game to the fullest and I think it’s just my job to fully capitalize on the opportunity,” Simons said. “I think I’ve been doing that and as a team we’ve just been getting better and better each and every game.”
Aside from Lillard, Portland will also be without Nassir Little, Keon Johnson, Didi Louzada and Joe Ingles, the latter whom was just acquired from the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Eric Bledsoe may also be held out due to an Achilles injury, and Dennis Smith Jr. (elbow) is listed as day-to-day.
The Trail Blazers hosted Milwaukee on Feb. 5 in Portland when the Bucks came away with a 137-108 victory, posting their season-high point total, which they matched the next night against the Los Angeles Clippers. Portis led the way with a season-high 30 points, while Antetokounmpo scored 29.
