Giannis and Dame are on the Bucks’ injury report.
The Milwaukee Bucks have one game remaining on their schedule ahead of the All-Star break. While 24 teams around the league have already embarked on their midseason vacation, the Bucks are one of the lucky six teams playing on Thursday night, as they will take on the Memphis Grizzlies. However, Milwaukee may be shorthanded in this game, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard both appearing on the team’s injury report.
Giannis and Dame are both listed as probable to play on Thursday night against Memphis. Whereas Antetokounmpo is dealing with right knee patella tendinitis, Lillard has been battling left ankle inflammation. The good news for the Bucks is that both All-Stars are listed as probable instead of questionable, meaning that they will most likely suit up for this matchup against the Grizzlies. The bad news is that the team is already without Khris Middleton, who is dealing with a left ankle sprain.
Antetokounmpo is once again a favorite in the MVP race alongside Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after reigning league MVP Joel Embiid fell out of the running due to injuries. In a total of 53 games, Giannis has averaged 30.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. The two-time MVP has recorded a double-double in six of his last seven games.
For Lillard, his numbers have declined since being acquired by the Bucks over the summer. Next to Antetokounmpo, Dame is averaging 24.6 points and 6.7 assists per game while shooting only 34.4 percent from three-point range. Nonetheless, he still ranks tied for 15th in the league in made threes with 145 total triples.
The Bucks enter Thursday night’s game in Memphis looking to find some momentum heading into the All-Star break. After picking up back-to-back victories over the Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets earlier this week, Milwaukee was trending in the right direction. They have since lost by 26 points to the Miami Heat, who were without Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, and Josh Richardson. Under Doc Rivers, the Bucks are now just 3-6 and continue to trend down the Eastern Conference standings.
Inconsistent is the most accurate word that can be used to describe the Bucks this season, as they have been unable to string together a handful of dominant performances as of late. Should the team be without Antetokounmpo or Lillard on Thursday night, they may once again fall victim to their own inefficiencies.
Milwaukee will provide further updates on the status of their two stars later in the day.
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