Saturday 25 January 2020 03:04, UK
The Milwaukee Bucks take on the Charlotte Hornets in Paris on Friday at 7:30pm and you can watch the showpiece game for free via a live stream on skysports.com, Sky Sports app and the Sky Sports YouTube channel.
The two Eastern Conference teams heading to Paris are experiencing dramatically-contrasting fortunes this season.
The Bucks, led by defending league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, own the NBA's best record (39-6) and have reeled off seven straight wins. Their last defeat came on January 7 on the road against the San Antonio Spurs.
Antetokounmpo has taken his own game to even higher levels and is considered the favourite to repeat as regular-season MVP. He is averaging career-highs in points (30.0), rebounds (12.8) and three-pointers made (1.7) per game and his relentlessness has set the tone for his team-mates.
Khris Middleton is draining three-pointers at a 41.6 per cent success rate, the Lopez twins - Brook and Robin - are (alongside Antetokounmpo) are the best rim-protecting defenders in the league and second-year guard Donte DiVincenzo has established himself as a valuable contributor off the bench.
Milwaukee's dominance of their opponents so far this season is best reflected in their league-leading net rating (the differential between the points they score per 100 possessions and the points they allow per 100 possessions). The Bucks boast a net rating of 12.0, a full 4.5 points better than Western Conference leader the Los Angeles Lakers.
While the Bucks are stampeding towards the playoffs, the Hornets' postseason hopes are fading thanks to a losing run that now stretches to seven games.
Charlotte's record (15-30) is miserable yet, in the shallow Eastern Conference, they are only four-and-a-half games back from current eighth seed the Brooklyn Nets.
Regardless of their overall record, there is no doubt this season has offered some positives for Charlotte. Many expected them to flounder after the summer departure of All-NBA guard Kemba Walker but the emergence of Devonte' Graham, a genuine contender for the Most Improved Player award, as their leading scorer offers hope for the future.
Rookie PJ Washington and second-year forward Miles Bridges have emerged as consistent contributors too, giving Charlotte a young core of players to eventually build around.
The Hornets' veteran French guard Nicolas Batum can expect a warm welcome at the AccorHotels Arena as he plays an NBA game in his home country for the first time in his career.
Watch the Milwaukee Bucks take on the Charlotte Hornets in Paris on Friday at 7:30pm for free via a live stream on skysports.com, Sky Sports app and the Sky Sports YouTube channel.
