The Milwaukee Bucks have a slate of important matchups on their schedule coming up.
The game against the Detroit Pistons was one of them, but that happened already, and the game isn’t worth mentioning. It was a blowout as expected considering the Pistons losing streak, and that’s the only real takeaway. It was a “Let’s watch the Pistons lose every week and just how bad” game, and that’s a national conversation. The only highlight was the sighting of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s children on the Bucks bench.
That aside, the Milwaukee Bucks play the Houston Rockets later today, which is Sunday. It’s not an early matinee like most games on Sunday, but instead it’ll be a night game like a typical weekday game in the NBA. If you’re not doing anything on Sunday but resting and watching sports, the Bucks and Rockets game will be worth tuning into. It’ll certainly be better than the Bucks vs Pistons game. This isn’t a conference matchup, but it’ll involve some bright talent in the NBA going head-to-head as Jalen Green and company come to town.
The Houston Rockets don’t have as good of a record or the status of the Milwaukee Bucks either, but they will in a near future many predict. Also, seeing the electrifying talent of Green, along with the mischief Dillon Brooks brings to every opposing team will be exciting. Alperen Sengun is also another Rockets player to watch and the point guard matchup between Fred VanVleet and Damian Lillard will be something.
The Bucks will need to mix-and-match their lineup to keep up with the unorthodox roster and young stars of the Rockets. Perhaps, the Bucks will go with putting MarJon Beauchamp and Andre Jackson Jr. in the starting lineup again like against the Pistons. It worked against Detroit, but also because the Pistons are horrible. The Rockets are bad, but they’re not that bad.
San Antonio Spurs
Perhaps, the most anticipated matchup happens on Tuesday when sensation Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs come to town. The Spurs are surprisingly bad this season in spite of having the No. 1 pick, in the same boat as the Pistons actually. The Spurs have recently broken their losing ways, however, in a game against one of their toughest opponents, LeBron James and the L.A. Lakers. The Bucks will be a tough matchup for the Spurs also, but the team isn’t the only part of the matchup that’s tough.
It’ll be seeing the individual matchup between Victor Wembanyama and The Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo. If the comparison between Antetokounmpo and Wembanyama hasn’t been made already, it will be after Tuesday. Everyone wants to go up against the new rookie, and the Spurs might want to keep quiet on all of the unnecessary noise to not distract their young star from serious business. But the matchup against Antetokounmpo is an easy headline for the NBA and should be a special one to mark on the calendar.
Ahead: Paolo Banchero and Magic, Knicks on Christmas, Pacers, Rockets and Spurs again…
Another rising star in Paolo Banchero and his Orlando Magic come to town also, and this matchup will be a rematch from when the Magic beat the Bucks in a game earlier this season. This will be an exciting matchup. Banchero, like Wembanyama, was the No. 1 pick last year and is a fast rising star posing a threat to the Bucks.
Of course, after all of this is a Christmas Day matchup against the New York Knicks (and the Knicks again a day before in a back-to-back). If you watched the In-Season Tournament, then you know that is the last time the Bucks and Knicks faced and it is a great East matchup.
The IST matchups are still important to the Bucks overall season. Speaking of which, the Bucks have the Indiana Pacers again on New Year’s, and again on Jan. 3. Don’t forget about the “Gameball Gate.”
Everything comes full circle. Back to the Rockets and Spurs it is for a couple games in January. The games this week are only 1 of 2 matchups for the Bucks against each of these teams.
Schedule
vs. Rockets
When: Sunday, December 17 7:00 pm ET
Where: Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
How: Bally Sports WI, League Pass
Why: Jalen Green and company
vs. Spurs
When: Tuesday, December 19 8:00 pm ET
Where: Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
How: Bally Sports WI, League Pass
Why: Victor Wembanyama vs Giannis Antetokounmpo
vs. Magic
When: Thursday, December 21 8:00 PM ET
Where: Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
How: Bally Sports WI
Why: Paolo Banchero
vs. Knicks
When: Saturday, December 23 12:30 PM ET
Where: New York, NY Madison Square Garden
How: NBA TV
Why: Jalen Brunson and co., Eastern Matchup
vs. Knicks
When: Monday, December 25 12:00 PM ET
Where: New York, NY Madison Square Garden
How: ESPN
Why: NBA Christmas Day
v.s. Pacers
When: Monday, January 1 8:00 PM ET
Where: Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
How: Bally Sports WI, League Pass
Why: Tyrese Haliburton and co./Pacers rematch
v.s. Pacers
When: Wednesday, January 3 7:00 PM ET
Where: Indianapolis, IN Gainbridge Fieldhouse
How: Bally Sports WI, League Pass
Why: Pacers rematch