Milwaukee @ Indiana preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 3, 2018 ) Indiana 101, Milwaukee 122

Victor Oladipo returned and the Indiana Pacers looked like a completely different team while routing the Chicago Bulls 125-86 on Saturday to snap a five-game slide. The last of those losses came at Milwaukee on Wednesday, and the Pacers will try to get some revenge with their leading scorer back when they host the Bucks on Monday.

Indiana averaged 95 points while dropping five straight - the last four of which came while Oladipo sat out with a knee injury - but turned the offense around on Saturday while shooting 55.8 percent from the floor and knocking down 15 3-pointers. "When you have a guy like that who is capable of creating opportunities for a team and has the ability to not only create opportunities for himself but as well as his teammates, it just frees you up," Pacers coach Nate McMillan told reporters of Oladipo. "...With his speed we were able to get into transition and get some easy baskets. So, yes, he does have a huge impact on what we like to do out there." The Bucks have a guy capable of creating opportunities for both himself and teammates as well in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who collected 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists while logging 41 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back in Saturday's 110-103 victory at Washington. "Coach Kidd told me, 'You're going to play minutes tonight,' and I was like, 'OK, I love playing basketball,'" Antetokounmpo told reporters.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS Indiana

ABOUT THE BUCKS (21-17): Antetokounmpo scored 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting in the win over Indiana on Wednesday, but point guard Eric Bledsoe was held to seven points in 28 minutes. Bledsoe began to pick things up with 17 points in a loss to Toronto on Friday before finding his form with 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter on Saturday. Swingman Khris Middleton, who burned the Pacers for 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting on Wednesday, is pulling just as heavy a load as Antetokounmpo in terms of minutes and logged a team-high 42 while scoring 20 points on Saturday - the 14th time in the last 17 games that he played at least 37 minutes.

ABOUT THE PACERS (20-19): Indiana only needed 24 minutes from Oladipo on Saturday and watched him collect 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting, nine assists, six rebounds and five steals. "I was just out there playing," Oladipo told reporters. "I just kind of get lost in the game and do whatever I can to help my teammates. I just try to set the tone on both ends." Oladipo got plenty of help from the reserves on Saturday, with Domantas Sabonis collecting 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting and rookie T.J. Leaf making the most of a rare extended run by pouring in 15 points on 6-of-6 from the floor.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bucks PF John Henson shot 50 percent or better from the field in each of his last 10 games.

2. Pacers reserve PG Cory Joseph grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds on Saturday.

3. Milwaukee waived SG DeAndre Liggins after Saturday's win.

PREDICTION: Pacers 120, Bucks 118