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via Imago
Jan 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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via Imago
Jan 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Every Milwaukee fan’s heart skipped two beats when the Houston Rocket’s Amen Thompson brought down Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fourth quarter of the game. It was a nasty foul — something more fitting of a UFC octagon than an NBA court. Thompson earned a flagrant foul and an automatic ejection for his display.
However, Giannis was not as upset as you’d think he’d be after what the youngster did. He believed all Amen was trying to do was commit a hard foul, with no malice involved. And the Greek Freak appreciated the competitiveness Thompson showed.”You don’t want to have a league that’s soft,” he told the Associated Press. Now, Giannis may have let it pass. But the fans? Ahead of the matchup against the Nuggets, they want to know if they will have their Greek God saving the day or not.
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Milwaukee Bucks Injury Report – will Giannis Antetokounmpo play tonight?
We’ll cut to those chase, Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the injury report for the Denver Nuggets game. Now, hold your horses, as he’s only listed as PROBABLE with a calf strain. These calf issues have plagued Giannis for quite a while now but he’s managed to play through it so far. It’ll take more than a strained calf to keep Giannis from backing up the Bucks against a team that won the NBA championship less than two years ago.
Joining him on the list is Bobby Portis Jr, who’s serving his 25-game suspension for mistakenly ingesting Tramadol instead of Toradol. The earliest he can come back is five days before the regular season ends, on April 8, 2025. He was averaging over 13 points and 8 rebounds when suspended. Alongside Bobby, Pat Connaughton is OUT for the third consecutive game with a calf injury. He’s missed 7 out of the last ten games for the Bucks now. But it’s likely he’ll be back soon.
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If you’re waiting to hear who else is on the injury report, then you’re in for a pleasant surprise. There were only three players listed on the injury report for the Milwaukee Bucks. Given Doc Rivers has most of his bench healthy, let’s see who he picks against the Denver Nuggets.
Milwaukee Bucks – Predicted starting lineup and depth chart
The Bucks won’t miss any of their starters against the Denver Nuggets. This is wonderful news for them as their opponents aren’t faring as well for injuries. So here’s the squad Doc Rivers can use to capitalize on this:
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POSITION | STARTER | 2nd UNIT | 3rd UNIT |
PG | Damian Lillard | Kevin Porter Jr | Ryan Rollins |
SG | Taurean Prince | AJ Green | Gary Trent Jr |
SF | Kyle Kuzma | Gary Trent Jr | Andre Jackson Jr |
PF | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Kyle Kuzma | Taurean Prince |
C | Brook Lopez | Jericho Sims | Giannis Antetokounmpo(DD) |
The Bucks will fancy their chances in this game against the Nuggets. For starters, both Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are on the injury report, and at risk of missing the game. Moreover, all the momentum the Nuggets had gathered during their 9-game winning streak was brought to a screeching halt by the 123-100 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. And even though they bounced back well with a victory against the Pacers, the wound is still fresh. So if there was a right time to face the Denver Nuggets, it’s now.
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Debate
Can Giannis's resilience lead the Bucks to victory, or will his calf strain hold him back?
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Can Giannis's resilience lead the Bucks to victory, or will his calf strain hold him back?
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