Milwaukee @ New Orleans preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 10, 2016 ) New Orleans 112, Milwaukee 106

The Milwaukee Bucks are streaking in the right direction again with wins in each of their last three games and six of the last seven as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe get more comfortable playing together. The Bucks will try to improve to 12-4 since Bledsoe joined the lineup when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

Milwaukee's only loss in the last seven games came at Eastern Conference-best Boston on Dec. 4, and coach Jason Kidd is excited about his team's improvement. "Us, as a team, (we're) growing up and understanding what it takes to win in this league," Kidd told reporters after a 117-100 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday. "It's not easy. The week didn't start off well for us, but we ended it on a positive note. Now we turn the page to another week with three (games) in four (nights)." That stretch begins with the Pelicans, who are lighting up the scoreboard of late but only hit the win column in three of their last nine games. New Orleans averaged 120.7 points in the last six games but won only three of those contests, including a 130-123 setback at Western Conference-best Houston on Monday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS New Orleans

ABOUT THE BUCKS (15-10): Antetokounmpo recorded a double-double in each of Milwaukee's last three games and punctuated a 37-point, 13-rebound, seven-assist performance against Utah on Saturday by dunking over center Rudy Gobert in the final minute. The "Greek Freak" just turned 23 on Dec. 6 and is averaging 29.8 points on 54.6 percent shooting and 10.4 rebounds. Bledsoe reached the 20-point plateau in each of the Bucks' last three games and is averaging 18 points and 4.2 assists in 15 games with the team since coming over in a trade from the Phoenix Suns.

ABOUT THE PELICANS (14-14): New Orleans draws a lot of attention for its frontcourt tandem of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, but it's been the improved play of the backcourt that really has the offense operating in high gear. Rajon Rondo recorded a triple-double on Monday while Jrue Holiday (37) and E'Twaun Moore combined for 73 points, but they understand where the team needs to improve. “We’ve got a lot of guys who can do a lot of things, a lot of talent," Moore told reporters. "Once we get it together a little bit on the defensive end, we’ll be hard to beat."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Davis (left adductor) missed four of the last six games and is day-to-day.

2. Bucks SG Tony Snell (knee) sat out the last two games and is questionable.

3. The teams split the two-game series last season, with Milwaukee earning a 117-113 win at New Orleans.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 120, Bucks 113