Nets basically punting on Tuesday's NBA game vs. Bucks with 3 top players sitting out

The Brooklyn Nets arrived in Orlando for the NBA's restart severely short-handed as it was with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving both out injured and a handful of other guys opting out, led by guard Spencer Dinwiddie and center DeAndre Jordan. On Tuesday afternoon against Milwaukee (1:30 p.m. ET), the Nets are REALLY going to be short-handed as guards Caris LeVert and Joe Harris and center Jarrett Allen all will sit out. The Nets are basically punting on the game with them having to play again Wednesday. To no surprise, the Bucks are heavy favorites on the William Hill NBA odds.

Frankly, the game is largely meaningless for both teams. Milwaukee is all but locked into the top seed in the Eastern Conference, while the Nets are either going to finish eighth (and have to face the Bucks in the first round of the playoffs) or seventh. Allen is being called out Tuesday for "unusual circumstances" – have to say, I've never seen a player listed out for that reason. Harris has back tightness and LeVert a thigh contusion.

Brooklyn is 1-1 in the restart, off a 118-110 win over Washington on Sunday when LeVert had 25 of his 34 points in the second half. He played 39 minutes and Allen played 38, scoring 22 points with 15 rebounds. The Nets are now 4-0 in games this season in which Allen has at least 20 points and 15 rebounds. Harris played 37 minutes and had 27 points.

Milwaukee is also 1-1 in the restart, winning on Friday over Boston but losing Sunday against Houston 120-116. Prior to losing to the Rockets, the Bucks had been a league-best 50-0 when leading by at least eight points with three minutes or less to go in regulation this season.

In addition, Milwaukee became the first team in NBA history to lose a game in which it scored at least 110 points, held its opponent below 40 percent shooting and had at least a plus-25 rebound differential. Those teams are now 177-1 in that scenario.

The Bucks and Nets have met once this season, a 117-97 Milwaukee victory in Brooklyn on Jan. 18. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points and 12 rebounds. The Bucks have won 16 of the last 19 meetings.

WHICH 2020 FANTASY FOOTBALL SLEEPER SHOULD YOU SNATCH IN YOUR DRAFT? AND WHICH WR1 CANDIDATE CAN YOU WAIT ON UNTIL LATE? JOIN SPORTSLINE NOW TO GET 2020 FANTASY FOOTBALL CHEAT SHEETS FROM THE MODEL THAT WAS ALL OVER DERRICK HENRY'S HUGE SEASON, AND FIND OUT.