The gist: The Bucks are currently sitting at ninth in the East and badly need to bolster their 2-8 road record. Prior to this game, they failed to register a win despite the bench producing 44 points in a 97-92 loss to the Hawks.
Key matchup: Kyle Lowry vs Brandon Jennings
Lowry minted the stat sheet against the Timberwolves, finally earning an elusive triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. As long as Lowry hounds Jennings into another horrendous shooting affair (a woeful 14/42 the past two games) and prevents him from going to the line, the advantage goes to the former.
X-factor: Samuel Dalembert
With Andrew Bogut patrolling the middle and flanked by lanky frontcourt members such as Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, the pressure falls on the Haitian Sensation to corral every rebounding opportunity. It won’t be easy and both Luis Scola and Patrick Patterson cannot idly go ball-watching.
Code Red: Lost in the shuffle is Stephen Jackson, who was held scoreless last game despite playing 28 minutes. Jackson is too good of an athlete to be kept invisible and should look to get his points early on. Mbah a Moute, recently inserted in the starting lineup, will also be tasked to lock down on Scola/Parsons/Budinger/Martin defensively as the need arises.
