With nothing on the line for either team but to get through the remainder of the season without anyone getting injured, the Cleveland Cavaliers will face the Milwaukee Bucks this evening at 8:30 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
The Bucks had outside playoff aspirations until recently, but those hopes have now disappeared for Milwaukee, which is 32-47 on the season and is locked into third place in the Central Division.
Milwaukee gained a signature win on Wednesday when they went into Miami and knocked off the Heat 90-85, ending Miami’s hopes for the top seed in the East in the process. After the big win, the Bucks went to Detroit and were promptly knocked off by the Pistons to the tune of 110-100 last night.
The Cavs, on the other hand, had a two-game winning streak ended last night at the Q when they were knocked off by the Chicago Bulls, 93-82, in a game which clinched the best record in the conference for Chicago.
Milwaukee will be without center Andrew Bogut for tonight’s contest. Bogut has been shut down for the rest of the season and will have arthroscopic surgery on the elbow that was first hurt in a frightening injury at the end of last season.
Without Bogut, the Bucks are 4-10 this season.
Milwaukee has taken two of the three previous meetings between the two clubs this season, one of which was a 20-point loss a month ago today at the Bradley Center.
Milwaukee scores 91.4 and gives up 92.5 PPG, while Cleveland tallies 95.1 and surrenders 104.6 per contest.
After tonight’s game, the Cavaliers travel to the Motor City and face the Pistons on Monday night before closing out the season at home against Washington on Wednesday.