Minnesota @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 26, 2018 ) Milwaukee 125, Minnesota 95

The Milwaukee Bucks are a season-best 30 games over .500 and look to continue their dominating play when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. Milwaukee has won 15 of its last 17 contests and can surpass last season's win total of 44 if it defeats the Timberwolves.

Bucks All-Star power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 30 points and 13 rebounds to lead his team to a 98-97 home victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday. "It was a good game, we didn't play our best basketball," Antetokounmpo told reporters, "but they're a really dangerous team." The Timberwolves posted a 115-104 victory over the host New York Knicks on Friday despite All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns missing the first game of his career because of a concussion suffered in a car accident. "I'd just like to have him out there because he's a pretty good player," Minnesota interim coach Ryan Saunders told reporters. "So the streak, I think that is something that everybody should definitely take note of with Karl's durability and his toughness and how he approaches the game, but from a coach's viewpoint you'd like to have like Karl on the floor whenever you can."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (28-30): Towns was injured Thursday in the Minneapolis area when he was driving to the airport to catch the team flight to New York. He later took a commercial flight to join the team and was examined Friday and placed in the concussion protocol, which ended his streak to 303 consecutive games, and also indicates he will be unavailable against the Bucks. Point guard Derrick Rose (20 points) and power forward Taj Gibson (season-best 19 points) picked up the slack against the Knicks in an effort Saunders described as "a next-man up mentality."

ABOUT THE BUCKS (44-14): Forward Nikola Mirotic made his Milwaukee debut against Boston and scored eight points in 14 minutes after missing his first four games with the team because of a calf injury. Mirotic, who averages 16.4 points and 8.1 rebounds, was acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans at the trading deadline and the Bucks are looking for him to stretch defenses with his 3-point shooting stroke (87 makes in 33 games). "That's what I do, I also play defense, that's true," Mirotic told reporters of his skills. "A lot of guys think I just shoot the basketball, shoot 3s. I feel fresh. Seriously. I've been out for more than 10 days. ... I know I can guard."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Bucks have won seven of the past nine meetings, including a 125-95 road win over the Timberwolves on Oct. 26.

2. Milwaukee All-Star SF Khris Middleton had 15 points and a season-best 13 rebounds against Boston for his fourth double-double of the campaign.

3. Minnesota PG Tyus Jones (ankle) returned from a 13-game absence and had four points in 17 minutes against the Knicks.

PREDICTION: Bucks 118, Timberwolves 102