On Sunday, the Bucks took care of business in New Orleans despite missing their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Coming off a dominant triple-double performance against the Heat the previous night, ‘The Greek Freak’ was ruled out of the back-to-back encounter after initially being listed as doubtful. Reason? Left shoulder tendinopathy that has been bothering him for a while. But after getting a couple days’ rest, Giannis seems ready for a comeback ahead of tonight’s Timberwolves clash.

Yes, the superstar forward is highly likely to suit up as he is listed as probable on the injury report. Sure enough, that’s a huge boost for the Bucks, who are hoping to extend their four-game winning streak. Moreover, a victory tonight would put them two wins ahead of the sixth-seeded Pistons—a comfortable lead for the fifth spot with only three regular season games remaining after tonight.

Of course, the Pistons lost at home last night against the Kings, losing their momentum in the playoff race. Now, it’s up to Giannis to make his highly anticipated return and lead his team to victory. He has been in top form all year, averaging 30.5 points and nearly twelve rebounds. In his last five appearances, he has averaged 33.8 points, proving why he is one of the top MVP contenders.

Moreover, Doc Rivers hinted that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury is not too serious as he revealed the reason behind his absence on Sunday, “Just a lot of minutes, overtime game – so that was about it.” Yes, ‘The Greek Freak’ played heavy minutes in Miami, and the Bucks likely did not want to overexert him and risk re-aggravating his injury.

Rivers also addressed why Giannis wore an arm sleeve during the Heat game: “I don’t think there’s anything serious to it. But if anybody has wear and tear, it would probably be Giannis. He gets hit a lot. And they don’t call it. I thought I’d throw that in there.”

So, the two-time MVP will likely be back in the lineup tonight. And looks like he’s not coming alone!

Bucks get major boost with key player’s potential return as Damian Lillard remains sidelined

While Giannis’ availability is still not fully certain, Bobby Portis could also join him in the lineup tonight. Yes, his 25-game suspension for violating the league’s Anti-drug policy has finally come to an end. The forward last suited up on February 12 before testing positive for Tramadol, a banned painkiller in the league.

Following NBA’s penalty, Portis claimed he accidentally took the banned drug instead of the approved Toradol due to a mix-up. But he still had to serve the lengthy suspension.

Fortunately, Bobby is no longer on the injury report, which means he could make his comeback tonight. Even Rivers was excited about it: “Bobby has one more game left, which is great.” With Portis back, the Bucks will finally get rid of their size problem. He was in incredible form before the suspension, averaging 13.7 points and over eight rebounds.

Obviously, Damian Lillard will continue to remain sidelined as he is still recovering from the deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. Meanwhile, Pat Connaughton, who missed Sunday’s game due to a right ankle sprain, is questionable to play. His final status will be announced ahead of tip-off.

With only four regular-season games remaining, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Portis’ return could solidify the Bucks’ fifth-seed and maybe even help them overtake the Pacers for the fourth. But first, they need to win tonight to start things off the right way. Thoughts?