Milwaukee Bucks Game Preview: Dec. 13 at New Orleans Pelicans
By Adam McGee
Major key for Milwaukee – Avoid foul trouble
At the very least, the Bucks will have to face up against one All-NBA center on Wednesday night, and there’s still a possibility that it could be two.
Considering that Milwaukee’s own center rotation consists of only two centers — both very far from All-NBA level — the Bucks are almost guaranteed to have their work cut out for them inside.
To the credit of John Henson and Thon Maker, both players can offer very effective defensive contributions. Henson is clearly the more consistent of the two, but both are defensively capable.
The biggest issue with Henson and Maker comes in trying to keep them on the floor, though. Foul trouble has been a regular problem for both of Milwaukee’s big men, and on occasion falling on both players at once.
If that proves to be the case on Wednesday, Milwaukee may be forced to move Giannis Antetokounmpo to the 5 and risk foul trouble for their best player too, or two-way big man Joel Bolomboy could be given a baptism of fire.
Whether Davis is fit to play or not, DeMarcus Cousins alone will certainly be enough to give the Bucks fits in the middle. Milwaukee is going to lose the center battle on Wednesday night, it’s just a matter of limiting the impact that one element will have on the game overall.