The Milwaukee Bucks have their back against the wall following a brutal collapse in their latest game against the Denver Nuggets. As their playoff hopes hang in the balance, they could desperately use a win streak, and the Minnesota Timberwolves just added more pressure. In addition to Rudy Gobert being suspended, Anthony Edwards won't play against Milwaukee on Tuesday due to rest.
With the Timberwolves missing two of their top players, the Bucks can't let this one slip away like they did in Denver. It would be a catastrophic failure in a season full of them to this point.
Bucks must capitalize on absence of Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert
Milwaukee had a golden opportunity to take down a Denver team without Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Cameron Johnson, and Chrisian Braun, and they blew it. Considering the Bucks were healthy for that game, it was one of their most frustating loses of the season at a time where they need to be stacking wins if they want to make the playoffs.
Now, they will face a banged-up Minnesota team down two starters, one of whom is a top-five player by most standards and the other a bona fide Defensive Player of the Year candidate. If they lose this one like they did in Denver, that might be the final nail in the coffin for the Bucks, who are currently firmly in 11th in the East at five games below the .500 mark.
The Milwaukee Bucks are largely healthy for this one. Obviously, Taurean Prince, who will likely miss the rest of the year, is out. However, the big question mark is Myles Turner, who was limited in the loss to Denver due to an illness. He is listed as questionable for the matchup with Denver. Playing without him would obviously hurt Milwaukee's odds, but there's a good chance he plays through it.
If Turner doesn't go, the Milwaukee Bucks will need vintage games from Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma in his place. It's time they tune out all of the trade chatter and produce like Bucks fans know they can before the team digs itself into an even deeper hole. Ryan Rollins is also due for a breakout after he struggled mightily to hold up against Denver.
No matter how they do it, the Milwaukee Bucks need to win this one. A loss would put them six games under .500 and continue their misery.
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