Wolves-Milwaukee game preview

The Bucks have struggled somewhat this season, although it's all relative compared to the Wolves.

February 23, 2021 at 6:46AM
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo goes up for a dunk during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Playing the Bucks, of course, means taking on two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. (AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

7 p.m. at Milwaukee • FSN, 830-AM

Preview: The Timberwolves, after falling to a league-worst 7-24 following Sunday night's 103-99 loss at New York, fired coach Ryan Saunders and hired Raptors assistant coach Chris Finch to replace him. Saunders went 43-94 (.239) in his 137-game tenure as Wolves coach over three seasons. The Bucks, who had the NBA's best record each of the past two seasons, are 18-13 and third in the Eastern Conference, one of only four teams in the East with a winning record. They are 11-4 at Fiserv Forum but only 7-9 on the road.

Players to watch: The Bucks have an All-Star Game starter in F Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 28.4 points, 5.9 assists and 11.9 rebounds per game; all those numbers are best on the team. He has won the past two MVP awards, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year award and started five consecutive All-Star Games. … The Wolves' leading scorers are C Karl-Anthony Towns (22.0 ppg) and G Malik Beasley (20.2 ppg).

Injuries: Wolves G D'Angelo Russell (knee surgery) and G Jarrett Culver (ankle) remain out. Bucks G Jaylen Adams was cited for disorderly conduct by Milwaukee police Friday after an altercation with an Uber driver and is on the NBA's COVID-19 protocols list, as is G Jrue Holiday. Holiday has missed eight games because of protocol but could be activated for this game.

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Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune

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Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly speaks during a press conference to introduce the team's 2022 NBA draft selections Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at Target Center in Minneapolis. ]