The Milwaukee Bucks are set to face the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum. This game is the Bucks’ third-to-last of the season in Milwaukee.
Boston head into the game as one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams. They have been bolstered by the return of Jayson Tatum.
Bucks Injury List Grows
Milwaukee could use a loss to stay within striking distance of Chicago for the ninth-worst record in the league. This would give them slightly better lottery odds for a top pick in the upcoming draft. A loss could also help close the percentage point gap with New Orleans, which can swap draft positions with Milwaukee should the Bucks’ pick be lower in the draft order.
Giannis Antetokounmpo remains out of games. He suffered a hyperextension of, and bone bruise in, his left knee. The game against Boston will be the 10th straight game he’s missed in 19 days.
Antetokounmpo made it clear he thought he could finish the game immediately after sustaining the injury. Despite the Bucks saying he suffered no structural damage, the team has ruled him out.
The decision to hold Antetokounmpo out has caused friction. The National Basketball Players Association issued a statement on Antetokounmpo’s behalf. NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged the league would look into it.
Antetokounmpo has continued to go through extended pregame workouts. The league is inquiring about the injury and Antetokounmpo’s actual ability to play.
Coaching Change on the Court
Current Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has ceded some of his in-game play-calling duties to top assistant Darvin Ham. Rivers said, “He’s the head coach. Darvin Ham is a head coach in the NBA and should be. I’m looking at this as trying to let the world see that.”
Ham had taken a broader role for the Bucks’ win over Dallas and that continued in Houston in a tough loss with a short-handed roster. Ham was the Los Angeles Lakers head coach from 2022-24 and went 90-74 in the regular season. The Lakers won the 2023 NBA Cup title and advanced to the Western Conference finals that year.
Confirmed Player Absences
The Bucks will have a few more players available. The team has decided to get players ready for the remaining home games down the stretch.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo is out with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise.
- Kevin Porter Jr. is out with right knee synovitis.
- Bobby Portis Jr. is out with a left wrist sprain.
Gary Trent Jr. is questionable with a left hip pointer. Thanasis Antetokounmpo is questionable with a left calf strain. Ryan Rollins is probable with a right hip strain. Jericho Sims is probable with right patella tendinopathy.
The regular season ends on April 12 in Philadelphia.