Brooklyn @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 15, 2017 ) Milwaukee 129, Brooklyn 125

The Milwaukee Bucks won their first game in the post-Jason Kidd era, and they hope to have their superstar back in the lineup for the second game since the head coach was fired. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has missed two games with a knee issue, is hopeful to return Friday when the Bucks host the Brooklyn Nets to cap a two-game homestand.

"It's [been] a great week," Antetokounmpo told reporters Wednesday at practice. "I feel great, I'm ready to go. We've got one practice tomorrow -- I've got to practice hard and get my rhythm back and feel ready to go." The two-time All-Star, who ranks second in the NBA in scoring (28.2), watched as his teammates got past Phoenix 109-105 on Monday in the hours after Kidd was dismissed following three-plus seasons at the helm. Khris Middleton assumed the lead role once again with 35 points and he is averaging 29 points, 10 rebounds and 6.5 assists in the two games that Antetokounmpo has missed. The Nets are 1-1 thus far on their five-game road trip, following up a one-point win at Detroit with a one-point loss at Oklahoma City.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

ABOUT THE NETS (18-30): Brooklyn lost a fourth-quarter lead before Spencer Dinwiddie's late basket saved it in Detroit and it blew a 15-point advantage in the second half in the 109-108 loss to the Thunder. "We can talk about the last plays, but I do think we gave up 35 points in the fourth quarter and made a ton of mistakes," coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters. "I loved our competitive spirit all game, how we defended, but I thought in the fourth quarter we made some fundamental mistakes." Joe Harris was the bright spot with 19 points and a 5-of-5 effort from beyond the arc.

ABOUT THE BUCKS (24-22): Milwaukee already had one triumphant return this week in the form of Malcolm Brogdon, who came back from a one-game absence (personal reasons) to score a career-high 32 points in Monday's win. "We're professionals. It's about regrouping and coming out there and doing your job," Brogdon told reporters of playing so well in the first game without Kidd. Eric Bledsoe is mired in a shooting slump - going 4-for-25 from 3-point distance over a five-game span - but he has at least four steals in six games this month.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Middleton shoots 51.6 percent from the floor and 42.7 percent from beyond the arc in the Bucks' 24 wins, compared to 40.7 and 26.8 in their 22 losses.

2. Harris is 17-for-27 from 3-point range over his last seven games.

3. Milwaukee won eight straight meetings and scored at least 110 points in all four victories last season.

PREDICTION: Bucks 112, Nets 106