LaMelo Ball has been scoring at an impressive rate for the Charlotte Hornets, and they may need another big performance from their star guard when the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo visit on Saturday afternoon.
Antetokounmpo’s 59-point game in Milwaukee’s 127-120 overtime win against Detroit on Wednesday marked his fourth consecutive game leading the team in scoring. His dominant performance, which also included 14 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocked shots in 43 minutes, has been crucial for the Bucks’ slow start to the season.
The Hornets struggled in a 114-89 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, with Ball scoring 35 points. Ball is averaging 29.9 points per game and has been Charlotte’s leading scorer in all but two games this season.
Both the Bucks and Hornets have had rocky starts to the season, each with just four wins. Milwaukee’s win over the Pistons marked their first winning streak of the season, having won three of their last five games.
The availability of key players for Saturday’s game is still uncertain.
The Bucks were hoping to have Damian Lillard back after missing the last two games due to concussion protocol. Lillard has averaged 26 points and 6.6 assists per game in 10 appearances this season.
However, Coach Doc Rivers indicated on Friday that Lillard might not be available due to continued sensitivity to lights and noise.
If Lillard remains out, Gary Trent Jr. might step up. After a rough stretch where he went 1-for-18 on 3-pointers in five games, Trent drained three shots from beyond the arc on Wednesday night.
The Bucks, who have lost five consecutive road games, also had Bobby Portis Jr. out earlier this week with an elbow injury. Portis is averaging 12.9 points per game.
For Charlotte, Grant Williams moved into the starting lineup for the Orlando game, replacing Tidjane Salaun. Tre Mann sat out the game due to a lingering injury.
The Bucks have shown flexibility in their defensive strategy, switching to a zone defense against the Pistons.
The Hornets, on a two-game losing streak, will need to find solutions against whichever defense they face. They managed a season-low point total in Orlando and committed a season-high 22 turnovers.
