ST. FRANCIS. Wis. -- It's unlikely anybody thought the Milwaukee Bucks would enter their first regular-season meeting with Cleveland with a better record than the rebuilt Cavaliers.
But that will be the case when the Central Division rivals square off Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena, thanks to Milwaukee's surprise start and Cleveland's slow start.
Just as nobody anticipated the Cavaliers beginning LeBron James' second tenure with the franchise with a 5-7 record, the Bucks don't expect Cleveland to hover around .500 much longer.
The Cavaliers enter Tuesday's game with the Bucks on a three-game winning streak to improve their record to 8-7, while their new Big Three of James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving seem to be figuring things out.
"It is going to take some time," Bucks coach Jason Kidd said of the Cavaliers. "It just doesn't happen overnight. No matter what their record is (now), they are going to be a team that's going to be there at the end. It is not how you start the marathon but how you end it. LeBron understands that."
After Cleveland lost three of its first four games, James channeled his inner Aaron Rodgers to tell fans to relax. James speaks from experience, as his first team in Miami with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade also had an 8-7 record through 15 games. The Heat went on to win 58 games during the 2010-11 season and made the NBA Finals.
After a 17-point loss to Toronto on Nov. 22 sent Cleveland to its fourth consecutive loss, the Cavaliers have won their last three games by an average of 23.3 points.
The Cavaliers have really picked up their play on the defensive end of late, as Cleveland has allowed 100 points or more just once in its last six games after doing so seven times in its first nine games.
Last week, the Cavaliers limited Orlando to a season-low 74 points before holding Washington to under 90 points for the second time in a week Wednesday.
"(LeBron) had that experience in Miami when the Big Three were first put together," Kidd said. "He knows what it takes to win championships. He's been there the last four years. It takes some time. They are starting to play at the level that everybody thought they would."
Similar to their approach on James Harden on Saturday, the Bucks plan to throw multiple bodies at James. The four-time MVP is averaging 24.9 points through 15 games, which would be his lowest scoring average since his rookie season.
"Everybody is game for guarding LeBron," Kidd said. "You have to give him multiple looks. You have to change it up defensively. He's seen everything. Giannis (Antetokounmpo), Jabari (Parker), O.J. (Mayo), (Khris) Middleton, (Brandon) Knight -- everybody is going to have a crack at him. He's that talented and plays the game the right way, so everybody is going to have a chance."
Mayo began Saturday's game on Harden, while Jerryd Bayless got a run at the All-Star guard in the second half. The 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo eventually got his turn on Harden in the fourth quarter, as Kidd may have been trying to keep his second-year forward out of foul trouble.
"When you are a competitor, you look forward to these nights," Mayo said. "You have to go out there and compete.
"It is basketball. It is not like (fighting) Mike Tyson where you have 12 rounds but have to survive the first three minutes. It is basketball. You have to go out there and keep competing. It is a team game. With those players being as great as they are, I feel like we have a defense that can make it hard on them."
Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao (10.9 points, 6.9 rebounds per game) missed Cleveland's victory over Indiana on Saturday and is unlikely to play against the Bucks due to rib contusion.
With reserve center Tristan Thompson forced to start and reserve Matthew Dellavedova out indefinitely with a MCL sprain in his left knee, the Cavaliers aren't getting much production from their bench.
It is one area where Milwaukee may hold an advantage over Cleveland, as the Bucks have the second-highest-scoring bench in the league at 45.3 points per game. The Cavaliers have the NBA's lowest-scoring bench at 22.3 points per game.
However, the Bucks use their bench for 22.5 minutes per game compared to the Cavaliers using their reserves for just 15.3 a game.
Dion Waiters is Cleveland's only real scoring threat off the bench, as the Cavaliers also use rookies Joe Harris, Will Cherry and Alex Kirk with veterans Lou Amundson, James Jones, Mike Miller and Brendan Haywood in their reserve unit.
"We have to go in with our defensive principles, what we've been doing all year," Mayo said. "Nothing changes (because it is the Cavaliers). It is another team we are going against.
"We're worried about Milwaukee and our opportunity to get better (Tuesday). We had a great practice (Monday) after a tough loss at home. It is our job to worry about Milwaukee."
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