Larry Sanders struggled for the third straight game finishing Saturday's loss with just four points, four boards and a block in 22 minutes.

The good news for Sanders is that Zaza Pachulia was quiet, finishing with six points and three boards in just 14 minutes. Pachulia had been outplaying Sanders, but not tonight. The Raptors benched center Jonas Valanciunas, so the Bucks didn't really need to run a center, but we're not going to make excuses for Sanders here. He's looked lost in three games and he may not be meshing with coach Larry Drew, and probably misses Brandon Jennings. There's plenty of time for him to get it turned around and the Bucks are going to play him after paying him. Feel free to get him on your bench, but we can't recommend dropping him unless he's still doing nothing 10 days from now.

Larry Sanders was a no show on Friday with four points, three boards, four blocks and two fouls in 18 minutes against the Celtics.

He's been outplayed by Zaza Pachulia and it looks like coach Larry Drew is going to make Sanders have to earn his playing time after a sub-par preseason. The low minutes should cause some trepidation for fantasy owners, but the only option is to stick with him rather than trade him for 50 cents on the dollar based on his terrible start.

Larry Sanders disappeared with foul trouble in Wednesday's opener, finishing with zero points, four rebounds and just one block in 12 minutes.

He picked up his fifth foul early in the second half, backing up an ugly preseason with a brutal opener. Things can only get better from here, but Larry got paid handsomely over the summer, and hasn't looked like "The Show" since. Now is probably a good time to make some low offers for the shot-blocking specialist. With Sanders saddled by foul trouble, Zaza Pachulia broke loose for 13 points and 11 boards in 34 minutes off the bench.

The NBA will inspect the Bucks new floor on Tuesday and make recommendations about how to proceed after Friday's preseason game against the Raptors was cancelled due to unplayable floor conditions.

The floor became went and too slippery to play on. One option is that the NBA could tell the Bucks to go back to using their old floor, which would be a bummer. Almost all reviews on the new court have been positive and everyone, from the players to the fans, seemed excited for it's arrival. But if they can't quickly find a way to stop the condensation problem, they may have no choice. We should know more by Wednesday.

Larry Sanders, who missed Friday's practice with an illness, played on Wednesday, but managed just seven points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

He hit just 1-of-4 shots in 25 minutes and is shooting just 36.8 percent (14-of-38) for the entire preseason. He has 11 blocks in six games, but also has committed 10 turnovers, and hasn't had more than seven rebounds in a game. That's why we have the preseason, so things like this can be worked out. But if you want to take phenoms like Anthony Davis or Andre Drummond over the Show, we're good with it.

Bucks general manager John Hammond said that Larry Sanders is a key to the team.

"He's one of the key, if not the key, piece for us moving forward," Hammond said. "Larry is one of the top shot-blockers in our business. And I think he's only going to get better defensively." After playing just 12.4 minutes per game in 2011-12 season, Sanders had tremendous growth last season and received a four-year, $44 million extension. In the second half, Sanders played 30.5 minutes per game, averaged a double-double and kept his fouls down to 2.7 per game. We're expecting that growth to continue

When asked what parts of his game he wants to improve, Larry Sanders replied, "Everything on the offensive end."

"From the midrange shot to driving to the basket and being able to finish around the rim," Sanders said. "And trying to facilitate more, open up the court a little bit, understand the offense better." He has fully recovered from a sprained left ankle suffered during Team USA's mini-camp, and any offensive improvement would be icing for fantasy purposes after he swatted 2.8 shots per game last year.

Bucks signed C Larry Sanders to a four-year, $44 million contract extension.

Larry Sanders is focused on being "more consistent" for the Bucks next season.

Sanders had a breakout sophomore campaign, ranking second in the NBA in blocks (2.8 per game) while averaging 9.8 points and 9.5 rebounds in only 27 minutes per game. He's on the verge of landing a four-year, $44 million extension but it doesn't sound like fantasy owners need to worry about him becoming complacent.

The Bucks are nearing completion on a four-year, $44 million contract extension with Larry Sanders.

Sanders didn't become a full-time player until last season. But he's a unique 6-foot-11 athlete, just 24 years old and is already one of the game's premier interior defenders. Despite playing just 27.3 minutes a night in 2012-13, Sanders averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks while shooting 50.6 percent from the field. It's good value for the Bucks -- especially considering Nikola Pekovic just squeezed a five-year, $60 million deal plus incentives out of the Wolves.

The Bucks are "set to make [Larry] Sanders their highest-paid player," according to beat writer Gery Woelfel.

ESPN.com reported on Thursday that contract extension talks between Sanders and the Bucks had reached their final stages, and Woelfel's report serves as confirmation. Sanders played only 27 minutes per game last year but that number should jump with the Bucks committing to him as the future of their frontcourt. On a per-36-minute basis last season, Sanders notched 12.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 3.7 blocks and a scant 1.6 turnovers, while shooting 50.6 percent from the field.

The Bucks and Larry Sanders are discussing a contract extension.

The negotiations have reached the final stages, according to ESPN.com. The Bucks have let 38.7 percent of their scoring go from last season with Brandon Jennings in Detroit and Monta Ellis in Dallas, so they do have some financial flexibility. Sanders emerged as one of the best defensive players in the NBA, leading the Eastern Conference in blocks while also becoming a much more well-rounded player.

Larry Sanders (ankle) completed a light workout Thursday.

Sanders sprained his left ankle during the U.S. National Team minicamp last week. It was just a garden-variety roll. Sanders expects to be at 100 percent within the next week and then will resume his offseason workouts. He's going to Los Angeles to train with Paul George and DeAndre Jordan.

Larry Sanders (left ankle) did not play in the Team USA scrimmage on Thursday.

The MRI was negative and he just has a sprain, so Sanders is just taking the cautious route. There isn't much to be concerned about with Sanders and his ankles have held up fairly well in his NBA career, with just a minor ankle tweak in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. He'll be an elite blocking option and with his fouls coming down in the second half, he''ll be able to fill the box scores in other areas, too.

An MRI of Larry Sanders' left ankle confirmed he only suffered a sprain during the Team USA minicamp.

Sanders was injured Tuesday when he went to block a shot and landed on Chandler Parsons' foot. Sanders was present at camp Wednesday but didn't participate in any drills. He's expected to sit out the final day Thursday, as well. Sanders should be good to go by the time training camp opens.

Larry Sanders suffered a sprained left ankle at USA Basketball national team minicamp on Tuesday and will miss the final two days, which includes an intrasquad game on Thursday night.

Sanders went to block a shot and landed on Chandler Parsons' foot during a scrimmage, ending his camp experience early. Trainers determined the injury is a sprain, although he will undergo an X-ray and MRI to be sure the injury isn't serious. "I have to get an MRI," he said. "It looks like a sprain, though. It's pretty swollen." This is a bad break for Sanders and we'll simply have to hope the MRI brings back good news, and that he's ready to roll for training camp in October. Sanders broke out last season and will be a hot big-man pick early in this year's drafts, as long as this injury isn't serious.

Larry Sanders said he reached out to Monta Ellis but hasn't heard back.

Sanders and Ellis had a run-in in the locker room after Game 3 of the Bucks' opening-round loss to the Heat. Sanders said Wednesday it wasn't a big deal and was just a matter of "personalities clashing," but it's pretty telling to us that Ellis hasn't returned Sanders' call. Ellis is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract and become a free agent. Sanders said he would welcome Ellis back, but it's possible Ellis might choose to sign elsewhere regardless.

New Bucks coach Larry Drew hinted at excitement over Larry Sanders at his introductory news conference.

"The big guys are going to be a big part of the future," Drew said. "You can't teach height, you can't teach length." At 6'11/235 Sanders grabbed the Bucks' starting center job last season and ran with it. He averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks despite playing just 27.2 minutes per night. Expect something closer to 32 minutes nightly under Drew.

Larry Sanders is expected to receive an invitation to USA Basketball Select team camp during the summer.

"Just found out I got selected to work out/try out for the USA Basketball Team this summer!" Sanders tweeted. "Such an amazing honor. Glory be to God." It's quite impressive for a guy who was in summer league last season attempting to prove his worth, but his impressive 2012/13 season put him on the national map. Per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, an official roster is expected to be announced in early June.

Larry Sanders and Monta Ellis reportedly "nearly came to blows in the locker room after Game 3" of the Bucks playoff series against Miami, sources told CBS Sports.

It's awfully strange that this report would just come out now, so we're taking it with a grain of salt. The players had to be "separated," but the fight wasn't serious enough to prompt disciplinary action for either player. If that's the case, it sounds like this is being terribly overblown. Ellis reportedly "took umbrage" with Sanders saying the team needs to focus on the present and not next season, but it's a moot point with the Bucks watching from home.