GDT: Mavs @ Bucks 01/08/16 7:00pm CT

[Underdog]

Zaza Pachulia provided the Milwaukee Bucks with not only a physical presence off the bench but a big man who could fill a starting role.

He's been so much more for the Dallas Mavericks since they acquired him in July.

After he was one of four starters to take a night off, Pachulia will return to Milwaukee for the first time Friday night when the Mavericks go after their seventh straight win over the Bucks.

The 13th-year center averaged 8.0 points and 6.6 rebounds with Milwaukee from 2013-15, making 88 starts over that span primarily due to injuries. He helped the Bucks reach the playoffs last season in former Mavs point guard Jason Kidd's first year as coach.

Pachulia was viewed as merely a consolation prize when Dallas traded for him just hours after DeAndre Jordan reneged on a verbal agreement and returned to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The 31-year-old, however, has been terrific for the Mavericks (21-15) with 18 double-doubles in 35 starts after totaling 15 in his 73 games with the Bucks last season. With 10.7 points and a career-high 10.7 rebounds per game, he's one of only nine players averaging a double-double.

Pachulia, who says he loved his time in Milwaukee, faced his former team for the first time last week and had nine points in the first seven minutes as Dallas raced to a 10-point lead. He finished with 17 points and eight boards, and Wesley Matthews scored 22 with five 3-pointers as the Mavericks never trailed in a 103-93 home win Dec. 28.

Pachulia also gave his teammates some advice before they finished with a season-low four turnovers against a team that entered third in the NBA with 19.3 points off turnovers.

"They have length, but once you move the ball from side to side, that's where they can struggle," Pachulia said. "Whenever we moved the ball, we got quality shots."

That's likely to be the strategy again with Pachulia, Matthews, Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams set to return after sitting out a 100-91 win at New Orleans on Wednesday. Raymond Felton stepped up with 22 points and Chandler Parsons added 21 with eight rebounds.

A night earlier, Nowitzki, Williams, Pachulia and Matthews had all played 40-plus minutes in a 117-116 double-overtime win over Sacramento. Nowitzki has totaled 47 points in his last two games but had a season-low seven on 3-of-15 shooting against the Bucks.

Matthews has hit 28 of 55 (50.9 percent) from 3-point range in his past eight games and is 9 for 14 in his last two versus Milwaukee (14-23).

The Bucks hope to avoid a third straight loss after falling 117-106 at Chicago on Tuesday. They've particularly struggled defensively, allowing 114.4 points per game over their last five.

"We're going to have to keep working on it -- every day," said interim coach Joe Prunty, filling in while Kidd recovers from hip surgery.

Khris Middleton finished with 26 points Tuesday, while Michael Carter-Williams added 20 points and 12 assists and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 17.

Middleton has been a bright spot with 23.2 points per game while sinking 27 of 53 (50.9 percent) from long range over his last nine. Jerryd Bayless led the Bucks with 19 points in the first meeting, but he could be out after missing 12 of the past 17 games with an ankle injury.

Milwaukee's six-game losing streak to Dallas is its longest in the history of this series, and the Bucks haven't beaten the Mavs at home since Jan. 1, 2011.

http://espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=400828432

[EricaLubarsky]

Bad defense you say?

[CGM]

...4 - 6 - 7 - 9... Bock's unlucky numbers after tonight's game...

4th straight loss
6th straight game allowing over 114 points
7 game losing streak against the Mavs
9 point loss to the Mavs tonight

Mavs - 115
Bocks - 106

[j0Shi]

Weird you always connect the Bucks to this: http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=301213006

Too bad we don't have a 12-game winning streak going, I'd totally tank. But then, who wins it: Mavs or Warriors?

[yahyes]

Big road game against an east team. Been having problems winning against the east. Mavs gotta look to far end bench guys like Evans and Anderson here. Give Charlie a break right now.

[turin]

Mavs not showing much intensity so far.

[EricaLubarsky]

What the hell am I watching?

[GermanStandard]

Mavs didnt come to play again. Just one of those nights we tend to have every now and than especially against the East.

[turin]

I'd like to see McGee spell Zaza a few minutes to see if his presence can make a difference. Way too many easy baskets around the hoop for Bucks.

[EricaLubarsky]

Seriously, what the hell is this?

13-0 run, just passing around the perimeter, 5 TOs in a quarter, 20% FG%?

I've seen better middle school games

[Melonhead]

Great last two wins but I don't feel confident there's any consistency between the team yet. This will be another game they struggle with til the end win or lose

[turin]

Not much hustle outside of Harris so far.

[GermanStandard]

Parsons offers nothing for the contract he has. Looking nothing like a 15M$ per year player.

[turin]

Parsons is who he is. I'm no fan, but it's a waste of energy to get worked up over him IMO.

[GermanStandard]

Trade Middleton for Parsons straight up.

[EricaLubarsky]

That was awful, but only down 10. No Harris and it could have been 18+

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by GermanStandard

Trade Middleton for Parsons straight up.

Your sctick is old.

[turin]

Notice w/ McGee in that the Bucks are shooting more jump shots further out.

[GermanStandard]

Originally Posted by turin

Notice w/ McGee in that the Bucks are shooting more jump shots further out.

and hitting them.

[turin]

Attaboy McGee!

[EricaLubarsky]

-14

We coming back in the second half or is this another game where we lose every quarter?

[turin]

I'm becoming a big McGee fan.

[turin]

Thank you Harris.

[GermanStandard]

If someone could implement just 10% of Basketball IQ to McGee he would be a Top5 Center in the league.

[yahyes]

Feels like Mavs are almost there connecting. Let's see what Carlisle adjusts strategy wise. Definitely needs more fast breaks. Not to mention getting Dirk open.

[EricaLubarsky]

McGee isn't amazing but he's playing hard. Makes him better than everyone else of there not named Harris. What is with the apathetic play?

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by GermanStandard

If someone could implement just 10% of Basketball IQ to McGee he would be a Top5 Center in the league.

Well.. he's been showing a bit of progress offensively. Takes growing pains if a player is new.

[GermanStandard]

This is one of these games were the Wheels have been taken off.

Dirk is looking like a 37 yr old does actually tonight.

We keep shooting 3s, commit Turnovers and cant defend to save our lifes.

[EricaLubarsky]

11 guys playing like ass. Nothing but people talking crap about Parsons.

D-M.com in a nutshell

[EricaLubarsky]

Back to completely missing open shots

[yahyes]

3 point hasn't been consistent at all first half. Needs more inside the basket shots.

[turin]

Put Evans and a few other reserves in to try and get a spark. Shake things up a bit.

[BPo001]

And DWill hurt himself again. Looking at his right elbow.

[EricaLubarsky]

This looks like two high school freshmen teams who have both been eliminated from the playoffs

[GermanStandard]

Parsons can either work on his shot with Holger asap or go away. That ugly ass Jumper+ Rondo like FTs and little to no defense is killing this Team.

Cant have that when Dirk and Matthews are playing like crap too,.

[Oberon]

That's how many missed 3's now? 58?

I can't believe we are playing this uninspired crap.

[EricaLubarsky]

I'm out. Nothing to see here

[turin]

I hope the Mavs pick it up; otherwise, I'm going to start bashing Parsons. Yeah, I know lots of others are playing like crap, but I enjoy bashing Parsons too much to pass up the opportunity. LOL

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by GermanStandard

Parsons can either work on his shot with Holger asap or go away. That ugly ass Jumper+ Rondo like FTs and little to no defense is killing this Team.

Cant have that when Dirk and Matthews are playing like crap too,.

11 guys playing like ass and you do nothing but talk crap about Parsons. It's getting old

[yahyes]

Too cold of a half