Milwaukee Bucks vs. Orlando Magic NBA Cup Preview: Last stop before Vegas

Milwaukee Bucks v Orlando Magic — Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images

The Bucks await the wounded Magic in the quarterfinals

Tonight, the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic will face off as the one and four seeds in the Eastern Conference NBA Cup quarterfinals. The two teams have not yet played each other this season, so the opening game comes at an important time.

Where We’re At

After an extended period of winning, the Bucks dropped two in a row against the Hawks and Celtics before getting right with a thrilling victory over the Nets on Sunday. The team looked simply out of gas against Atlanta on the second night of a back-to-back, but was very close to taking down Boston (if not for some stagnant fourth-quarter offence). Encouragingly, though, Milwaukee did not let that loss carry over to the next game, pulling out a gritty win over Brooklyn a few days later to and the two-game skid.

On the other hand, the Magic have been the surprise package of the East thus far. They currently sit at third, boasting an impressive 17-9 record. Their last three games have consisted of a split in a two-game series with the 76ers, along with an impressive win against the Suns. Unfortunately for Orlando, their primary playmakers are now both injured, as we’ll get to, so there could be some turbulence on the way.

Injury Report

For Milwaukee, Giannis (right patella tendinopathy), Khris Middleton (bilateral ankle surgery), and MarJon Beauchamp (last hamstring tendinopathy) are all probable. Chris Livingston (left ankle sprain) is out.

In Orlando’s case, both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are out with the same injury (torn right oblique), as is Gary Harris (left hamstring strain). Jonathan Isaac (right hamstring strain) is questionable.

Player To Watch

Bobby Portis is coming off (probably) the best all-around game of his Bucks career—and maybe even his NBA career. BP had 23 points on 90% shooting (5/5 from deep) and three blocks to boot. His defence was the best I’d seen. We know Bobby has been known for his inconsistent play from night to night. Can he show that same defensive effort and shot making again?

How To Watch

TNT and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 6:00 PM CST.

Playback Streaming

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