Miami plays Brooklyn on 3-game road slide
Miami is looking to stop its three-game road skid with a win against Brooklyn3 HOURS AGO•ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bucks play the Clippers, seek 6th straight victory
Milwaukee comes into a matchup against Los Angeles as winners of five consecutive games3 HOURS AGO•ASSOCIATED PRESS
Doc Rivers Sends Strong Jimmy Butler MessageMiami Heat forward Jimmy Butler wants a trade.
3 HOURS AGO•NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Gary Trent Jr. - Steps up with season-high 21 pointsTrent registered 21 points (7-11 FG, 7-10 3Pt), one rebound and one assist across 27 minutes during Thursday's 125-96 victory over Miami.
ImpactWith the team arriving home just a few short hours before tipoff due to travel issues in New Orleans, Trent caught fire from downtown and stepped up off Milwaukee's bench with a season-high 21 points and seven three-pointers. The Bucks were also without rotation regulars Khris Middleton (ankle) and AJ Green (quadriceps) on Thursday, allowing Trent to play his most minutes since a Dec. 31 win over Indiana. The sharpshooting Trent is averaging 11.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.8 three-pointers in 22.2 minutes while shooting a sizzling 56.9 percent from deep over his last 12 games.
4 HOURS AGO•ROTOWIRE
Bobby Portis - Solid outing off bench ThursdayPortis accumulated 16 points (7-14 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds and three assists in 22 minutes during Thursday's 125-96 victory over the Heat.
ImpactPortis put together a solid outing from Milwaukee's bench Thursday. After wrapping up December on a high note, the 29-year-old big man cooled down considerably in the month of January. Portis has averaged 11.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 three-pointers in 22.6 minutes over his last 11 games, but he should remain locked in as the Bucks' sixth man as he looks to heat up going forward.
4 HOURS AGO•ROTOWIRE
Damian Lillard - Just misses triple-double in winLillard totaled 29 points (9-21 FG, 5-14 3Pt, 6-6 FT), nine rebounds, 11 assists and two steals over 35 minutes during Thursday's 125-96 victory over Miami.
ImpactAlthough the Bucks were stranded in New Orleans until Thursday afternoon due to travel issues, Lillard didn't appear to be sluggish while earning his eighth double-double and teasing his first triple-double of the year. The superstar floor general has been on a roll lately, as he's averaged 26.2 points, 6.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 3.9 three-pointers while shooting a scorching 48.6 percent from deep over his last nine games. Lillard has also scored at least 22 points in each of these appearances.
4 HOURS AGO•ROTOWIRE
Jaime Jaquez Jr. - Lukewarm production in lossJaquez produced eight points (3-8 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, four assists and one block over 25 minutes during Thursday's 125-96 loss to Milwaukee.
ImpactEven with Jimmy Butler suspended, Jaquez still wasn't able to rejoin Miami's starting lineup in favor of rookie second-rounder Pelle Larsson on Thursday. Over his last four outings, Jaquez has averaged 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 three-pointers in 24.7 minutes. With the Heat actively shopping Butler ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, the 2023 first-rounder could end up making additional starts for the team down the stretch of the season despite his current reserve role.
4 HOURS AGO•ROTOWIRE
