The Milwaukee Bucks welcome the New Orleans Pelicans to Fiserv Forum at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4 in a game that holds a lot of interest for Bucks fans because of its potential NBA draft lottery implications.
The Bucks are 19-29 overall and the Pelicans are 13-39, so on the surface, it’s just a game between two of the nine worst teams in the league. But, because of the 2020 Jrue Holiday trade, the Pelicans own the right to swap draft position with the Bucks if Milwaukee finishes with a worse record.
The Bucks will keep their pick as long as the Pelicans finish with a worse record.
Per the lottery-tracking web site tankathon.com, the Pelicans enter the game with a 52.1% chance to win a top four pick in the lottery. They’re tied for the best odds with Sacramento and Indiana.
The Bucks enter the game with a 23.5% chance of winning a top-four pick.
And yet, for all of the Bucks struggles – they’re 12th in the Eastern Conference standings – they’re just two games behind the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls in the loss column for the final two play-in spots.
Milwaukee beat Chicago on Feb. 3 and has a chance to win consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 2-4. The Bucks have won two games in a row just four times this season. They haven’t won three straight.
“It hasn’t been easy for us, but just gotta hope and pray, gotta have faith that we can continue to do it over and over again,” Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma said of stacking wins after beating the Bulls. “New Orleans is coming in, just gotta do the same thing: play fast and play together.”
What is the latest on Giannis?
On Feb. 3, Giannis Antetokounmpo told the Journal Sentinel that he absolutely does not want to leave Milwaukee or the Bucks but acknowledged that he isn’t sure if his goal of competing for a championship is still the goal for ownership.
“I think this has been extraordinary this year because of all the gossip, some true, a lot not true, which I think (the Journal Sentinel) wrote an article about that (Feb. 3),” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said before the game. “Almost going the opposite of what the narrative has been from the actual source. So, good job there. But that still doesn’t mean something won’t happen. It could. We’ll see.”
On the court, Antetokounmpo held a workout in front of media and a few fans before the game on Feb. 3. He has been out since Jan. 23 with a strained soleus in his right calf.
What is the Bucks record without Giannis?
4-14
Before beating the Bulls on Feb. 3, the last time Milwaukee won when Antetokounmpo didn’t play was when it beat Indiana on Dec. 23.
Milwaukee Bucks injury report
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, out (right calf strain)
- Gary Harris, out (left hamstring strain)
- Taurean Prince, out (neck surgery)
- Bobby Portis Jr., out (right hip contusion)
- Myles Turner, probable (left ankle sprain)
- Cole Anthony, probable (left ankle sprain)
Bucks’ probable starting lineup
- Guards: Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Kevin Porter Jr.
- Forwards: Kyle Kuzma
- Center: Myles Turner
What time is the Bucks game?
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
What channel is the Bucks game on?
The game will be broadcast locally on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin with Lisa Byington, Marques Johnson and Melanie Ricks on the call.
Bucks vs. Pelicans odds
Milwaukee is a 4.5-point favorite over New Orleans, with the over/under set at 222.5 points, per BetMGM.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bucks vs. Pelicans tonight in a game with draft lottery implications