The Milwaukee Bucks play the Utah Jazz in what should be a relatively simple game for the Bucks. They’ll search for their first win in five games as the gap between the tenth seed and the Bucks continues to widen. With a tanking team like the Jazz offering weak resistance to the Bucks, this game will be a reset for a tense team searching for continuity.
Where We’re At
Four games deep into a contentious losing streak filled with coaching outbursts and moments of frustration, the Bucks are flailing for consistency. Their slide away from the play-in spot has featured moments of incompetence in gameplanning, poor shooting, and defensive struggle. Wednesday’s 131-113 loss to Atlanta showed that. Key players like Cam Thomas (13 points, 3/9 FG), Ryan Rollins (13 points, 4/11 FG), and Bobby Portis (13 points, 4/8 FG) have all lost their rhythm despite Giannis’ return. As they return to Fiserv Forum, the Bucks have more questions to answer about their future than solutions.
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They face a Utah Jazz team in the middle of a brutal tank. Resting at 19-44, the Jazz have been fined $500,000 for anti-tanking rules, and their tactical strategies of pulling star players out of close games border on point shaving. They recently notched their first win since February 11 on Thursday night off an Ace Bailey 32-point performance. Led by raw scorer Keyonte George, the Jazz are slogging through a meaningless season as they fight for lottery placement with the Pelicans, Nets, and Kings.
Injury Report
Kevin Porter Jr. (knee) will sit out on Saturday with an injury in the same place he tore his meniscus. Porter’s absence is a big blow to a Bucks team that needed stability and cohesion following an erratic stretch of games. Taurean Prince (neck) will also miss; he hasn’t played since early November.
The Jazz will miss several players due to injury. Isaiah Collier (personal reasons), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), Walker Kessler (shoulder), Lauri Markkanen (hip), Jusuf Nurkic (nose), and Vince Williams Jr. (knee) are all designated as out on the Jazz’s injury report at the time of writing.
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Player To Watch
Ryan Rollins will need to be the guard to step up in Porter’s extended absence. Rollins stepped up as a playmaker in Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta, dishing out 12 assists. However, during the Bucks’ four-game losing streak, Rollins has shot .381/.261/.667, averaging 10.5 points and 3.3 turnovers per game. His shift from high-volume shooter to a playmaker and versatile guard hasn’t been without its struggles. He will need to prove his ability to step up as the Bucks’ floor general and shore up his inconsistent shooting going into Saturday’s game against the Jazz, the second-worst team at guarding the three.
How To Watch
Watch at 7:00 p.m. CST on Fanduel Sports Network Wisconsin.
