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Undermanned Bucks take on struggling Trail Blazers

Jan 21, 2007 - 3:45 PM Milwaukee (17-22) at Portland (16-25) 9:00 pm EST

PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Bucks will not be able to turn to their best players on their four-game West Coast road trip.

The injury-ravaged Bucks shoot for just their second win in eight games Sunday when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers.

Milwaukee is just 1-5 without its starting backcourt of Michael Redd (left knee) and Mo Williams (left shoulder). The Bucks also are missing talented starters Charlie Villanueva (shoulder) and Bobby Simmons (ankle), who underwent season-ending surgery last month.

With four-fifths of the starting lineup dressed sharply in suits on the sidelines, the Bucks have taken a nosedive, compouned by Friday's embarrassing 99-72 loss at Seattle.

Ruben Patterson scored 16 points and Andrew Bogut added 14 and seven rebounds for the Bucks, who shot just 33 percent (29-of-88) from the floor to lose the opener of a four-game road trip.

The Trail Blazers ran into a buzz saw in their last contest, losing to the red-hot Phoenix Suns, 106-101, on Friday.

Zach Randolph tied a season high with 36 points and 15 rebounds while rookie Brandon Roy added 22 points for Portland, which has dropped 11 of its last 15 contests.