Cavaliers – Bucks Game Day Notes

Wednesday, December 21st, 2016

WHEN: 7:00 PM EST
WHERE: @TheQArena, Cleveland, Ohio
WATCH: @FOXSportsOH, @FSWI, @NBATV
LISTEN: @WMMS 100.7 FM, @wtam1100, La Mega 87.7FM

– Cavaliers (20-6, 1st in Central): Cleveland will be coming into tonight’s match-up as winners in seven of their last eight games, including last night’s 114-108 overtime victory against the Milwaukee Bucks inside The BMO Harris Bradley Center.

LeBron James led all Cleveland scorers in last night’s win, scoring 34 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, one block, and one steal in his 47 minutes of playing time.

J.R. Smith, Cavs shooting guard, left last night’s game in the first half with an apparent thumb injury on his right hand. Per ESPN, initial X-rays came back inconclusive. Smith will undergo further evaluation before today’s game.

Cavs forward Kevin Love is still listed as questionable for tonight’s game due to a knee contusion he suffered during Saturday’s victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Last night, LeBron James  (27,442) passed Moses Malone (27,409) for the eighth position on the NBA’s all-time leading scorers list. Shaquille O’Neal (28,596) currently holds the seventh position on the all-time ladder.

* Cavaliers projected starting lineup (subject to change) *

(PF) Kyrie Irving (6′-3″, 193 lbs)
(SG) Iman Shumpert (6′-5″, 220 lbs)
(SF) Richard Jefferson (6′-7″, 233 lbs)
(PF) LeBron James (6′-8″, 250 lbs)
(C) Tristan Thompson (6′-10″, 238 lbs)

* Cavaliers injury report *

– (PF) Kevin Love (knee contusion): Questionable
– (SG) J.R. Smith (thumb): Questionable
– (C) Chris Andersen (ACL): Out

– Bucks (13-13, 3rd in Central): Milwaukee will be looking to get back into the win column after last night’s loss to the defending champs.

As Cavs fans witnessed last night, the Bucks are led by their front-court duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker.

Coming into tonight’s bout, Antetokounmpo is leading the Bucks in nearly every statistical category, averaging 22.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.1 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game.

On a lighter note, Matthew Dellavedova, Bucks point guard, will receive his Cavaliers championship ring tonight inside Quicken Loans Arena.

Tonight’s match-up marks the third of four regular season meetings between the Cavs and Bucks (at Cleveland on February 27th).

* Bucks projected starting lineup (subject to change) *

(PG) Matthew Dellavedova (6′-4″, 198 lbs)
(SG) Tony Snell (6′-7″, 225 lbs)
(SF) Giannis Antetokounmpo (6′-11″, 222 lbs)
(PF) Jabari Parker (6′-8″, 250 lbs)
(C) John Henson (6′-11″, 229 lbs)

* Bucks injury report *

– (SG) Khris Middleton (hamstring): Out
– (PF) Michael Beasley (foot): Questionable

* All stats and information via www.basketball-reference.com, www.rotoworld.com, www.nba.com, www.espn.com, Elias Sports Bureau, and The Associated Press *