France has been one of the powerhouses in international basketball for years. From Tony Parker to Rudy Gobert, France has always developed some of the best international players in the league.
When the Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Hornets take each other on, there will be seven non-Americans available to play representing six different countries outside of the United States.
- (F) Giannis Antetokounmpo – Greece – Milwaukee Bucks
- (F) Thanasis Antetokounmpo – Greece – Milwaukee Bucks
- (F) Ersan Ilyasova – Turkey – Milwaukee Bucks
- (F) Dragan Bender – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Milwaukee Bucks
- (F) Nicolas Batum – France – Charlotte Hornets
- (C) Willy Hernangomez – Spain – Charlotte Hornets
- (C) Bismack Biyombo – the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Charlotte Hornets
Milwaukee Bucks (Away)
Head Coach: Mike Budenholzer {All-Time 312-225 | ATL, MIL}
Season Record: 39-6
Projected Starting Five: (G) Eric Bledsoe – (G) Wes Matthews – (F) Khris Middleton – (F) Giannis Antetokounmpo – (C) Brook Lopez
Top Performers
- (F) Giannis Antetokounmpo – 30.6 MPG | 30.0 PPG | 12.9 RPG | 5.6 RPG
- (F) Khris Middleton – 28.4 MPG | 19.5 PPG | 5.7 RPG | .421 3P%
- (G) Eric Bledsoe – 26.1 MPG | 14.8 PPG | 5.1 APG | 4.5 RPG
The Milwaukee Bucks are sitting comfortably at first in the Eastern Conference. With a record of 39-6, they are 7.5 games out from the second-place Miami Heat. They are a conference-best 18-4 away from home.
Milwaukee are coming off of a battering of the Chicago Bulls in their last game out. They defeated Chicago by 13 points and posted an offensive rating of 104.2 on the evening. They won three of four quarters, dominating from the start.
When the Milwaukee Bucks face-off with the Hornets in Paris, the Bucks will be taking on one of the NBA’s most energetic teams. While not incredibly skilled, the Hornets have the physical profile to compete with anyone in the league.
Charlotte Hornets (Home)
Head Coach: James Borrego {All-Time 64-93 | ORL, CHA}
Projected Starting Five: (G) Terry Rozier – (G) Devonte’ Graham – (F) Miles Bridges – (F) PJ Washington – (C) Cody Zeller
Season Record: 15-30
Top Performers
- (G) Devonte’ Graham – 35.2 MPG | 18.6 PPG | 7.7 APG | .386 3P%
- (G) Terry Rozier – 34.1 MPG | 17.9 PPG | 4.4 APG | 4.3 RPG
- F) PJ Washington – 30.5 MPG | 12.6 PPG | 5.5 RPG | .421 3P%
The Charlotte Hornets had a promising start to the season, but it was all downhill from there. Charlotte currently sits at eleventh in the Eastern conference with a record of 15-30. Despite this technically being a home game, where the Hornets are 7-14, they are 8-16 on the road.
Charlotte are on the worst losing streak of their season. Having suffered seven straight losses, the Hornets are coming off of back-to-back blowout losses to the Nuggets and the Magic.
They won’t receive in reprieve when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks. One of the best teams in the league on both ends of the court, the Hornets will need to contend with the Bucks in the paint as much as on the perimeter.
What’s at Stake?
Having met 113 times over the course of their regular-season rivalry, the Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Hornets have a competitive series. The Bucks lead the Hornets in the all-time series 58-55.
A win for the Milwaukee Bucks would only solidify their place at the top of the Eastern Conference and in the NBA.
A win for the Charlotte Hornets would bring them within a game of the tenth place team in the Eastern Conference.
Questions to Answer
Can the Milwaukee Bucks sort out their shooting?
Will Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham find the solution for the Hornets’ woes?
We are going to compare the Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Hornets in an attempt to see who has the advantage in this matchup.
MIL: Size Matters
For the Milwaukee Bucks, all things occur through Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 6-11 power forward is the lynchpin of their offense, providing size and skill that opens up the court for their entire team.
However, to beat the Hornets they will have to control the glass. The Hornets may rank 27th in rebounds per game, but they are seventh in offensive rebounds per game. Their ability to generate second opportunities can is what will keep them competitive against Milwaukee.
With Robin Lopez’s health in question, the paint duties fall to his brother Brook Lopez and Turkish forward Ersan Ilyasova. Giannis will attract a lot of attention on the boards, so their ability to support him on the glass will be crucial.
CHA: Steer the Deer
It will be impossible for the Charlotte Hornets to slow down Antetokounmpo in a one-on-one setting. They would do better to try and manage his drives, in hopes of leading him toward their more adept shot-blockers.
Bismack Biyombo, PJ Washington, and Miles Bridges all seem to have springs in their legs and are able to take attempts out of the air with ease. While none average even a block per game, 0.9 BPG across the board, their ability on the help side will certainly help at the rim.
The risk will be protecting the three-point line. The Bucks are tenth in the NBA in three-point percentage at 36.1% per game. They may just change the Bucks from three, being in a foreign arena, in hopes that they can protect the inside.
MIL: If It Ain’t Broken, Don’t Fix It
The Milwaukee Bucks, for being the best team in the league, operate one of the leagues’ simplest offensive systems. Operating off of hand-offs and screens, Antetokounmpo drives into the paint to open space for his shooters.
In their 13 point victory over the Bulls last time out, the Bucks’ shooting was fantastic. They were able to convert on 42.3% of their three-point attempts, led by veteran shooters Khris Middleton and Wes Matthews.
On a note for improvement, Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo were a combined 2-11 from deep against the Bulls. While the Greek Freak isn’t a consistent three-point shooter, more is expected of the veteran Lopez – who is a career 34% shooter from three.
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