Tony Parker and Brandon Jennings will be the matchup for tonight's game between the San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks.
Parker had a better game in their first meeting with 22 points and 10 rebounds (54% shooting) in 36 minutes while Jennings had 14 points and 4 assists (33% shooting), well below his season average. Even with Parker's better offensive performance, he had seven turnovers while Jennings recorded just 2. One reason may be that their respective teams are different in quality on the court (Milwaukee is 8-9 and San Antonio is 15-4), but the Bucks do have above average players who have skills on the court to help Jennings out.
What Tony Parker has to do on offense:
Parker shot 62% in the paint in their first meeting and got plenty of fouls called for his aggressiveness (10-11 FT). He has to keep getting in the paint and forcing the Bucks to rotate and looking to score first. If he gets Milwaukee to rotate on each drive, that'll open the door for assists and ball movement for the Spurs, something they rely on every game. Tony didn't have much luck on the mid range game, just shooting three shots and making one (33%).
What Tony Parker must do on defense:
Surprisingly, Jennings shot better mid range than in the paint last game. He was just 1-3 (33%) in the paint area while not getting shots in the restricted area while he shot 3-6 from mid range (50%). The Spurs look to funnel opponents baseline if they choose to drive on them, which is perfect for making them give up shots. He's shooting 41% from mid range this season, so giving him occasional looks from there may not be the worst idea for the Spurs. If Parker backs off of him and dares him to shoot, that'll mean less involvement from his teammates and most likely cold shooters when he drives and decides to kick out.