Milwaukee @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 11, 2019 ) Milwaukee 106, Washington 113

The Milwaukee Bucks made their statement with a 105-92 victory at Toronto on Thursday, declaring themselves the clear top team in the Eastern Conference heading into the stretch run before the All-Star break. The Bucks will try to avoid a letdown on Saturday, when they continue a five-game road trip by visiting the Washington Wizards.

Milwaukee learned that swingman Khris Middleton would join superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo during All-Star weekend with his first selection and then made sure their coaching staff would join them by knocking off the Raptors. "It's a great honor," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, who will coach Team Giannis in the All-Star Game by virtue of being the coach with the best record in the conference, told reporters. "I think it says a lot about our team. The players are the ones that put the coaching staff in that position. Incredibly grateful to our entire roster and all those guys. It’s a huge statement, honor, compliment to the assistant coaches. What these guys do for me is pretty special. We've been together a long time, so I love that as a staff you get to go and enjoy it." One of Milwaukee's two losses in the last 12 games came at Washington on Jan. 11 despite 25 points from Middleton. The Wizards got 32 points from Bradley Beal in that win over the Bucks and were given another 25 by the All-Star shooting guard on Wednesday to help the team to a 107-89 victory over Indiana in the opener of a three-game homestand.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE BUCKS (37-13): Milwaukee can score with any team in the East and is especially dangerous when it locks down on the defensive end, as it did on Thursday. The Bucks held the Raptors to 39.8 percent from the floor, including 7-of-27 from 3-point range while collecting 13 steals and six blocks in the win. "The team was so fantastic across the board. It was a great team win," Bucks center Brook Lopez, who blocked three shots, told reporters. "I'm just, probably, most proud of our defense. We had great team defense. The team tried to make a run obviously in the second half, but we stood tough. It was a great playoff atmosphere. Good test for us."

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (22-29): Beal was named to his second straight All-Star team on Thursday and is averaging 24.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists. The 25-year-old boosted his scoring to an average of 27.6 points in January while absorbing a bigger leadership role due to point guard John Wall's season-ending injury. "I never get caught up in trying to be an All-Star and trying to be this and trying to prove myself," Beal told the Washington Post. "I just concern myself with getting better every game. I never let anyone else define my career. I never let anyone else tell me I'm good or better than the next man. I'm myself, I'm my person, I reflect on my game and nothing is more important than my team and winning ballgames."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wizards SF Otto Porter Jr. (toe) left Wednesday's game and is day-to-day.

2. Lopez blocked at least three shots in four of the last six contests.

3. Washington's Jan. 11 victory snapped a string of five straight meetings won by the road team in the series.

PREDICTION: Bucks 125, Wizards 113