Wizards versus Bucks, Analyzing last two meetings

On Tuesday, the Washington Wizards play the Milwaukee Bucks. After decimating the Sixers on Sunday, here’s the game plan so they can do the same against the Bucks.

On Tuesday, the Washington Wizards play the Milwaukee Bucks. After decimating the Sixers on Sunday, here’s the game plan so they can do the same against the Bucks.

However, the two teams met twice in the month of January, and the Wizards were unable to stop the Bucks. What is the winning formula against this team?

Turnovers, Turnovers, Turnovers

Their last meeting on Martin Luther King Day, Washington lost 104-95. So it was a close matchup. Going into halftime, the Bucks were only up 53-51.

In fact, Washington was shooting better than the Bucks for the first half, 53 percent. While the Bucks only shot 44 percent from the field. But for some reason against Milwaukee, the Wizards are turnover prone.

The Wizards had 17 turnovers going into the half, while the Bucks only had 8. Milwaukee converted on almost every one of those turnovers for 16 points. At the time Otto Porter, Jr. was the only Wizard player who didn’t turn the ball over.

Besides not being able to protect the ball, Washington played with half a squad. John Wall and Bradley Beal were the only starters in double digits. Porter (8 points), Markieff Morris (6 points, 6 rebounds), and Marcin Gortat (4 points, 7 rebounds).

While off the bench Kelly Oubre finished with 19 points and five rebounds.

After the hot shooting night on Sunday, I don’t think Porter has cooled off. However, Gortat is going to have to be more aggressive at the basket. Four points is not going to work tonight.

The whole squad has to show up tonight, and in the words of Wall, get “buckets buckets”.

Always be closing

In their January 6 matchup, Gortat was a force to be reckoned with, 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Everyone had a good game that night.

This was also a winnable game, with the Wizards falling, 110-103.

But fourth-quarter closing was the culprit. Washington was up 96-93 with three minutes remaining in regulation.

The main culprit was Giannis Antetokounmpo. Because he got into early foul trouble, he had a lot of rest on the bench.

Antetokounmpo would pick up his fourth fall early in the final quarter at the 9:20 mark. He wouldn’t return to the game until there was 1:35 left in regulation. The Bucks would then go on a 14-2 run. The well-rested big got his second wind.

The key to the fourth for Washington is to maintain their high energy, because Antetokounmpo’s minutes are managed and he’s fresh every time he steps onto the floor.

Second-unit will have to continue to be productive. Jodie Meeks did a good job against the Sixers, shooting 2-for-5 from the field, including a three pointer, and he also pulled down two rebounds.

Meeks also had a beautiful floater. Unless, the Wizards are in a deficit, there should be no desperation threes. If the shooting guard could take short jumpers, that would really help with getting points on the board.

Meeks can be key if he’s aggressive inside the paint.

Coach Brooks already stated, that Ramon Sessions may not see much floor action. However, he would be key in getting some Bucks players into foul trouble. Sessions won’t get meaningful minutes, but his limited time on the floor wouldn’t be wasted.

Let’s run this back. All starters have to show up, protect the ball, and if the game is close again, get inside the paint and let the Bucks get you to the foul line.

Porter and Oubre are already in the Bucks’ scouting report after Sunday’s slaughter of the Sixers. Start attempting threes early, and put the fear into Milwaukee.

Because tonight the Bucks stop here at 8 PM. Televised on TNT.