Preview, Bucks-C's

[Steve Huffman <stevhuff@eastky.net>]

 Wednesday, December 10th
 ------------------------

Milwaukee BuckMs (11-8) at Boston Celtics (7-11), 7 p.m.

TV
----------------------------------------------------------
W1-14        SpChNE
W1-14        SpChNE  Replay @ 11:30 A.M., Thursday
PrimeStar
DirectTV

NBA on Satellite
-------------------------------
Milwaukee at Boston, 7 p.m. - W1-14s
Chicago at Orlando, 7:30 p.m. - W1-8s, F1-24s
Toronto at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. - Land lines
Washington at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. - S3-23s
Denver at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m. - No scheduled television
LA Lakers at Golden State, 8 p.m. - F1-1s, G5-6s, (TBS)
LA Clippers at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. - F1-21s
Indiana at Portland, 10 p.m. - Land lines

Milwaukee BuckMs (11-8) at Boston Celtics (7-11), 7 p.m.

Milwaukee upended Boston in the first  meeting  between  the
 two teams  this  season,  105-96 on November 8. The Bucks
have won four of the last five meetings, but the Celtics lead
the all-time series,  71-  65.

The Bucks have won two of their last three, including a 97-91
win over  Vin Baker and the SuperSonics on Monday.
Milwaukee is 4-5 on the road, but has a 5-2 mark against Atlantic
Division squads.  The  Bucks have captured 7-of-11 games versus
Eastern Conference teams.

The Celtics have gone into  a  tailspin,  losing  five  straight.
Boston was hammered at Miami on Saturday, 117-97. Boston is
5-6 at the FleetCenter this season. The Celts are 6-9 versus
Eastern  Conference opponents and 4-4 in meetings with Central
Division teams.

Milwaukee (11-8) at Boston (7-11) 7:00 pm EST

The Boston Celtics look to halt their five-game losing skid
against former coach Chris Ford tonight when they host the
Milwaukee Bucks.

Since winning 7-of-8 games, the Celtics have dropped five
straight contests, all against teams with winning records.
They suffered their second-worst loss of the season on Friday,
a 117-97 defeat at Miami, dropping to 2-11 against teams that
are currently above .500.

While Antoine Walker continues to put up huge numbers for
Boston, there is nobody on the squad that has been able to
consistently distribute the ball. Rookie forward Walter McCarty
has led the team in assists the last two games, handing out just
seven during that stretch. Only once this season has a Celtic
reached double figures in assists for one game.  Ford, who took
over as the Bucks head man last season, improved to 4-1 against
his former team with a 105-96 victory over the Celtics on November
8th. The teams split a pair of meetings in Boston last season.

Milwaukee has alternated wins and losses in its last seven games.
The Bucks came away with a big 97-91 home win over former
teammate Vin Baker and the Sonics on Sunday.

The Bucks could see the return of starting forward Tyrone Hill,
who has missed two straight games due to a family illness. The
one man who might not be happy about that news is Armon Gilliam,
who has averaged 18.5 and 12.0 rebounds in the last two games
starting for Hill.
                   © 1997 SportsTicker Enterprises, LP


 Milwaukee Bucks (11-8) at Boston Celtics (7-11), 7 p.m.
          -------------------------------------------------------

1997-98 Head-to-head record - Milwaukee 1-0
1996-97 Head-to-head record - Milwaukee 3-1
1995-96 Head-to-head record - Boston 3-1
1994-95 Head-to-head record - Milwaukee 3-1
Overall Head-to-head record - Boston 71-65
Home Record: Milwaukee 7-3; Boston 5-6
Away Record: Milwaukee 4-5; Boston 2-5
Record vs. Atlantic Division: Milwaukee 5-2
Record vs. Central Division: Boston 4-4
Record vs. Eastern Conference: Milwaukee 7-4; Boston 6-9

1997-98 Meetings
----------------
11/08 - Milwaukee, 105-96 (at Mil)

Note - Milwaukee has won four of the last five meetings.

Milwaukee last five games
 -------------------------
11/29 - W at  Miami, 93-87
12/02 - L vs. Phoenix, 86-90
12/04 - W vs. Charlotte, 102-92
12/05 - L at  Chicago, 62-84
12/07 - W vs. Seattle, 97-91

Boston last five games
 -------------------------
11/26 - L vs. LA Lakers, 103-118
11/28 - L vs. Phoenix, 108-112 ot
11/29 - L at  Cleveland, 97-103
12/03 - L vs. Chicago, 87-97
12/05 - L at  Miami, 97-117


Game #19
Home Game #12
at the FleetCenter



BOSTON'S  PROBABLE STARTERS:




F    Antoine Walker
         Celtics leader in scoring with 22.2 ppg. (5th in
         NBA) and rebounding with 10.3 rpg. averages.

F    Walter McCarty
          Averaging 10.9 ppg. and 30 minutes per game.

C    Travis Knight
          Team's 2nd leading rebounder with 7.2 rpg.
          average while averaging 9.8 ppg.

G    Ron Mercer
          Team's 2nd leading scorer with 13.1 ppg. average.

G    Chauncey Billups
          Averaging 8.8 ppg. and 3.4 apg. in 21 minutes per game



INJURY REPORT: Dee Brown is questionable with the flu. Pervis Ellison is

questionable with knee pain. John Thomas was placed on the Injured List
(11/29)
 with a left quadriceps contusion. Dontae' Jones was placed on the
Injured List
(11/8) with a left groin strain. Roy Rogers was placed on the Injured
List (10/30)
with right knee pain.

MILWAUKEE'S  PROBABLE STARTERS:



F    Tyrone Hill
         Has led the Bucks in rebounding in 12 of his 16
         games played; averaging 9.5 rpg overall.

F    Glenn Robinson
         Milwaukee's scoring leader, averaging 20.7 ppg,
         ranks T-12th in the NBA.

C    Ervin Johnson
         Shooting .573 from the field, a team-high, and is
         ranked 3rd in the NBA; blocked a season-high
         six shots 12/7 vs. Seattle.

G    Ray Allen
          Hitting on 74-83 (.892) from the charity stripe,
          10th in the NBA.

G    Terrell Brandon
          Ranks fourth in the NBA in steals with 2.47 spg.,
          and has recorded three double-doubles (points
          and assists) on the season


INJURY REPORT: Jeff Nordgaard (right adductor muscle tear)
was placed on the injured list 12/3. Tyrone Hill was not with the
team 12/5 and 12/7 because of a  family illness and is listed as
probable for tonight.


AHEAD FOR THE CELTIC
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Friday, December 12,  Washington at Boston, 7:00 P.M., SpChNE.