Bucks Eye Reset During Four-Day Break; Heat Lose Larsson; Pacers Checking on Zubac
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With four days separating games, the Milwaukee Bucks are using the pause to steady themselves after dropping 10 of their last 12 contests and to map a path through the Eastern Conference race while Giannis Antetokounmpo recovers from a left-calf strain.
Bucks
Center Myles Turner said the situation is “not time to panic,” noting the club sits only 5.5 games behind the East’s No. 3 seed, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. Turner’s scoring has dipped to 12.6 points per game, his lowest mark in five seasons, and unlocking more front-court production is part of Milwaukee’s short-term focus.
Nehm pointed to Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins as key contributors until Antetokounmpo returns. Porter is averaging 27 points on high efficiency over his past four appearances. Milwaukee hosts Boston on Thursday in one of its most significant matchups of the month.
Heat
The Miami Heat expect to be without second-year swingman Pelle Larsson for one to two weeks after he sprained his left ankle Tuesday. An MRI confirmed the sprain and ruled out more serious damage, the Associated Press reported.
Larsson is averaging 8.7 points, 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds in nearly 22 minutes per game. With Tyler Herro and Norman Powell back in the rotation, Miami may cover the short-term absence by expanding minutes for Simone Fontecchio and Keshad Johnson. The Heat play only once over the next week after being eliminated from the NBA Cup, so Larsson could miss limited game action.
Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are surveying the center market and recently contacted the Los Angeles Clippers about Ivica Zubac, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel. Indiana has been cycling Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff and Tony Bradley since losing Turner to Milwaukee in free agency.
Dallas center Daniel Gafford is another potential target, per The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer. Both Zubac and Gafford are on multi-year deals worth approximately $18-$20 million annually, fitting alongside Indiana’s max commitments to Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.
The Pacers control all of their future first-round picks and have movable salaries in Obi Toppin, Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker. While the 6-18 Clippers are reportedly reluctant to deal Zubac after his All-Defensive campaign, league executives believe Los Angeles would at least listen if multiple first-round selections were offered.
Source: Hoops Wire
