NBA trade deadline looms as Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks face off
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Ryan Rollins (right) of the Milwaukee Bucks in action against the Washington Wizards' Malaki Branham during the second half of the Wizards' 109-99 NBA win on Jan 29.
PHOTO: AFP
MILWAUKEE – Riding a five-game losing National Basketball Association (NBA) streak after an unsuccessful road trip, the Milwaukee Bucks start a three-game homestand where fans are likely more focused on what might happen off the court than on it.
With the trade deadline looming on Feb 5 and the rumours surrounding injured superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo only getting louder, Milwaukee will begin the home stretch by hosting the Chicago Bulls on Feb 3 (Feb 4, Singapore time).
On their road trip, the Bucks competed against the Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards until ultimately falling short late in both of those games. On Feb 1, it was not as close, as the team scored their fewest points in a game all season, losing 107-79 to the Boston Celtics.
“It’s hard to create shots. Whenever we took (Ryan Rollins) off the floor, Bobby (Portis) off the floor, the scoring came to a halt,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said of his side’s problems.
“When you’re struggling and you start missing shots, it starts to snowball. That’s what I felt.”
Rollins led his Bucks team playing without Antetokounmpo or second-leading scorer Kevin Porter Jr (oblique) with 25 points and seven assists.
He averages 16.5 points and 5.5 assists per game, while Portis has been a consistent scoring threat, averaging 13.2 points and is among the league leaders in three-point percentage (45.2).
Rollins is hardly the solution, however, if he were to carry the weight on his shoulders all by himself.
Without Antetokounmpo and Porter, the Bucks are missing a combined 44.8 points and 13 assists per game.
Chicago arrive in Milwaukee after facing the Miami Heat in each of their last three games. Miami won two of those matchups, including a dominant 134-91 effort in the finale on Feb 1.
In that game, the Bulls shot just six-for-41 (14.6 per cent) from beyond the arc and 32.2 per cent from the floor.
The clash with the Bucks is Chicago’s final game before the 3pm trade deadline on Feb 5.
The Bulls too have several players on expiring contracts, including Coby White, Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter, making them a team to watch.
They have already been part of a move, acquiring Dario Saric from Sacramento Kings in a three-team trade also involving the Cleveland Cavaliers. Chicago sent Emanuel Miller to Cleveland in the deal and also waived Jevon Carter.
“I’ve heard nothing but great things (on 31-year-old Saric),” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said.
“I’ve always loved his IQ, his feel for the game. He hasn’t been in the rotation a whole lot this year, but a veteran guy that’s been around, in terms of getting him caught up to speed in terms of what we do, I’d imagine it’ll be pretty simple for him.”
Josh Giddey leads Chicago averaging 18.6 points and 8.8 assists per night. Vucevic leads down low, averaging nine rebounds along with nearly 17 points per game.
Meanwhile in NBA action on Feb 2, Alperen Sengun matched his season high with 39 points and helped seal a 118-114 Houston Rockets win over the Indiana Pacers with the last of his game-high 16 rebounds in Indianapolis.
Sengun picked up the offensive slack for a Houston team without Kevin Durant, a late scratch due to a left ankle sprain. Amen Thompson joined Sengun in recording a double-double, grabbing 11 rebounds to go with his 16 points. He also dished out seven assists. REUTERS
