Phoenix @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 22, 2017 ) Milwaukee 113, Phoenix 107

The Milwaukee Bucks are struggling of late and dropped four of their last five games, with all four losses coming against potential playoff teams. The Bucks get a bit of a break in the schedule with two straight at home against sub-.500 teams, beginning with a visit from the Phoenix Suns on Monday.

Making the task tougher for Milwaukee is the absence of superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out Saturday's 116-94 loss at Philadelphia and will miss Monday's contest due to knee soreness. Antetokounmpo, who leads the Bucks in scoring (28.2 points), rebounds (10.1) and assists (4.6) while shooting 54.6 percent from the floor, will get eight full days to recover with the team not scheduled to play again until Friday, when the Brooklyn Nets visit. Milwaukee will try to lean on shooting guard Khris Middleton as well as point guard Eric Bledsoe, who is taking on his former team Monday for the second time since he asked for and was granted a trade in November. Bledsoe's departure left Devin Booker as the unquestioned leader of the Phoenix offense, and he poured in 30 points as the Suns snapped a three-game slide with a 108-100 win at Denver on Friday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Arizona (Phoenix), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

ABOUT THE SUNS (17-29): Booker, who averages 25.3 points, slumped to 15 on 5-of-16 shooting in a loss to Indiana on Jan. 14 but picked it back up when the team hit the road, pouring in 43 points in a loss at Portland on Tuesday before netting 30 at Denver. Booker got some scoring help at the Nuggets from TJ Warren (back), who returned from a two-game absence and added 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting. Warren is averaging 19.8 points and boosted that number by going over 20 points in nine of his last 11 contests.

ABOUT THE BUCKS (23-22): Middleton took over Antetokounmpo's do-everything nature on Saturday and recorded his first career triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. "With Giannis out, guys have to step out, so I tried to do a little bit more creating tonight, playing a lot more aggressive with the ball in my hands," Middleton told reporters. "When Giannis comes back, I've got to find a way to keep it going -- keep the ball moving, keep getting stops, keep running up and down. He's a great player, so adding him back with Jabari (Parker), with Malcolm (Brogdon) we're a dangerous team. We've just got to win ballgames now." Bledsoe was held to 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting Saturday but had no trouble in his first meeting with his former team, when he led the way with 30 points and seven assists in a 113-107 win at Phoenix on Nov. 22.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bledsoe recorded five steals on Saturday -- the fourth time in the last seven games that he recorded at least four thefts.

2. Phoenix PG Tyler Ulis is 3-of-22 from 3-point range over his last six games.

3. Brogdon (personal) sat out Saturday and it is unclear if he will be ready to return Monday.

PREDICTION: Bucks 115, Suns 108