Denver Nuggets visit Milwaukee Bucks in battle of MVP candidates

MILWAUKEE – Two National Basketball Association (NBA) Most Valuable Player candidates face off for the first time in over a year as Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks welcome Nikola Jokic and the visiting Denver Nuggets on Feb 27 (Feb 28, Singapore time).

Denver enter this matchup coming off a resurgent 125-116 win over the Indiana Pacers on Feb 24 in the first contest of a four-game road swing. The Nuggets have won 10 of their last 11, but they were blown out by the Lakers in the previous game.

“We knew this road trip was going to be a challenge,” Nuggets coach Mike Malone said.

“To respond to a tough home loss to the Lakers speaks a lot to our guys understanding of what time of the year it is and handling their business.”

Six Nuggets scored in double figures against Indiana, led by Aaron Gordon’s 25 points. Jokic added 18 and dished out a career-high 19 assists in the win.

The Bucks’ four-game win streak ended on Feb 25 in Houston, as they lost 100-97 to the Rockets.

Damian Lillard had two open opportunities from beyond the arc to tie the game in the final minute, but could not get either to fall. He scored 22 points on seven-of-22 shooting from the floor.

Coach Doc Rivers was asked after the game how this team will adjust on nights Lillard is not shooting his best after moving on from Khris Middleton at the trade deadline. He mentioned Kyle Kuzma’s lack of touches.

“I didn’t think we used Kuz enough tonight,” he said. “We ran two or three plays for him (in the fourth quarter),and he didn’t get it... tells you the ball wasn’t moving.”

Antetokounmpo leads Milwaukee with 31 points and 12 rebounds per game. Lillard, averaging 25.5