The Milwaukee Bucks dropped to 11–17 after consecutive defeats to Brooklyn and Toronto, but head coach Doc Rivers said he has no intention of overhauling the roster or game plan. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been sidelined since Dec. 3 with a calf strain and is not close to returning, yet Rivers told reporters Wednesday that the club simply needs to execute better, limit turnovers and “tweak” existing schemes rather than “re-create the wheel.”
In Cleveland, the Cavaliers removed De’Andre Hunter from the starting lineup Wednesday, sliding rookie Jaylon Tyson into the opening group in an effort to stabilize both units. Although the new five-man combination was outscored by eight points in 11 minutes during a loss to Chicago, league sources said the Cavs will keep the adjustment in place for now, hoping Hunter regains the sixth-man form he showed last season.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Bulls’ primary objective over the coming months should be accelerating the development of second-year forward Matas Buzelis, whose performance has fluctuated this season. Columnist Joe Cowley wrote that it is conceivable Buzelis and Josh Giddey could be the only current Bulls still on the roster a year from now, making their growth a priority over short-term play-in aspirations.
Indiana received multiple injury updates this week, most notably from Bennedict Mathurin. The guard, who missed 11 games earlier in the schedule because of a toe injury, acknowledged he can still feel discomfort. “It’s still an issue, but I’ll find a solution,” Mathurin said, adding that the problem continues to affect certain aspects of his game even though he has appeared in every contest since Nov. 17.
Source: Hoops Rumors
