The Milwaukee Bucks appear to have found a groove.
Falling eight games under .500 after dropping 12 out of 14 contests, the Bucks appeared lottery bound. They lost Jabari Parker to a torn ACL and frustration continued to surface. The Bucks struggled defensively, allowing at least 100 points in 20 straight games.
Since losing Parker to the devastating injury, the Bucks have surprised everyone, going 7-4 while picking up solid victories over playoff teams in Toronto, Los Angeles, and Indiana.
Michael Beasley became the biggest beneficiary in minutes voided by Parker. He provided a much needed scoring boost in Parker’s absence.
Nine minutes into the February 27th game in Cleveland, Michael Beasley had already dropped 11 points, but took an awkward fall and could not walk off the court on his own power. Thankfully for Milwaukee, it was diagnosed as a hyper-extended knee and would only be out temporarily.
Despite his absence, the Bucks have built a three-game win streak and need to continue this streak headed into a difficult schedule.
The Bucks host the New York Knicks (26-38) Wednesday night in what can be looked at as a must win for Milwaukee. This game opens up the longest remaining home stand of the season for the Bucks, who will host Indiana and Minnesota on Friday and Saturday respectively.
Following this three-game home stand, the Bucks take an extended six game-trip out West which could very well determine their fate for the season. This trip includes the Warriors, Clippers, and Grizzlies, all playoff bound teams in the vigorous Western conference.
Milwaukee (29-33) is currently tied with the Miami Heat (30-34) for 9th in the Eastern conference. These two teams are chasing both the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls (both 31-32, 1.5 games ahead of Miami and Milwaukee) who are tied for seventh in the conference. The Charlotte Hornets (28-35) remain in the mix as well.
The Bucks are just 12-17 on the road this season, meaning this three-game home stand will be crucial to continue building momentum headed into their longest road stand of the season.
