MILWAUKEE — Thanks to the Detroit Pistons’ loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday night Marlon Humphrey Jersey , the Milwaukee Bucks will take to the court Thursday against Brooklyn assured of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Where the Bucks will be seeded and ultimately who they’ll face when the postseason begins remains to be season, leaving plenty to play for over the final four games of the regular season.
Those four games also give forward Jabari Parker chances to build up his strength as he continues his return from ACL surgery in February.
Coach Joe Prunty has been using a gradual approach with Parker, who’s averaging 11.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 27 games since making his season debut Feb. 2.
“We want fast food faster,” Prunty said. “Everybody wants it now. What he’s done in a very short amount of time is not easy. So his progression of minutes, he’s earned what he’s getting. We need him to be good. He’s a huge part of what we’re doing … and going forward he’s going to be a big part of that success.”
Parker scored 35 points on 14-of-23 shooting with 10 rebounds in the Bucks’ disappointing overtime loss last weekend at Denver and finished with 12 Tuesday night in Milwaukee’s victory over Boston Womens Andrew Cogliano Jersey , with seven of those coming during a 16-4 second-quarter run.
He’s admitted that coming off the bench to play often inconsistent minutes has been frustrating at times, but is happy just to be back on the floor and contributing after tearing the same ACL twice in the last three seasons.
“I’m just in that rhythm,” Parker said. “Right now, coming off the bench playing the last of the first quarter and then the beginning of the second, that’s my rhythm right now. I don’t have any negativity toward that as long as I play. That’s all I care about.”
Brooklyn will be watching the playoffs on television Adrian Amos Jersey , playing out the string with little more than combinations of ping pong balls in its future.
The Nets bring a two-game losing streak to Milwaukee, falling to Detroit and Philadelphia, respectively, their last two times out and have dropped 12 of their last 17 overall.
They were dominated in all aspects of the game against the 76ers but were especially bad on the glass, getting outrebounded 56-36 by a Philadelphia squad playing without center Joel Embiid.
“When you don’t have physical engagement http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/dak-prescott-jersey , or mental engagement, it just becomes a layupathon,” Atkinson said. “They just kept on laying it up on us and that’s just the reality of what it was.”
Jahlil Okafor hit 7 of 9 shots to finish with 15 points and added five rebounds in the 121-95 loss despite playing with a turned ankle.
He’s expected to be available Thursday night and is hoping the Nets can find a way to close out a disappointing season on a high note.
“The next four games, my teammates and I want to finish off on the right foot so that we can have a good offseason,” Okafor said.
The agent for fullback Zach Line and linebacker Michael Mauti says both veteran free agents have reached contract agreements to return to the New Orleans Saints.
Mike McCartney says Line has agreed to a two-year deal while Mauti's contract runs through the 2018 season.
Terms have not been disclosed and the club has yet to announce the move.
Line played in 12 regular-season games last season and his highlights included a touchdown catch. He also played in both of New Orleans' playoff games.
Mauti last season returned successfully from surgery to remove his large intestine because of ulcerative colitis. He played in 11 regular-season games and both playoff matchups. He was a regular on special teams and rotated in routinely as a reserve on defense late in the season.
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