Following a long night, the Milwaukee Bucks are back on the court on Saturday to host the Los Angeles Lakers. The team kept Giannis Antetokounmpo on the injury report, as he continues to deal with a minor knee concern.
According to the Bucks' initial injury report, Antetokounmpo was listed as probable to play against the Charlotte Hornets. He's been upgraded after his first action in weeks, back on November 12.
As the Bucks paid a visit to the Hornets for the first of two matchups in a row, Antetokounmpo got the night off. The Bucks came up short against the Hornets with a 111-100 loss in the Greek Freak's absence.
When the Bucks and the Hornets met in Milwaukee on Friday for NBA Cup action, Antetokounmpo was cleared and played for 40 minutes. In a game that required overtime to settle the score, Antetokounmpo went 12-18 from the field, producing 25 points. He also came down with seven rebounds and dished out a season-high 18 assists.
Although the Bucks struggled to close out the Hornets in four quarters, they finished strong by winning 147-134 in overtime.
Will Giannis Antetokounmpo Play vs Lakers?
Despite being on the injury report, Antetokounmpo will get the expected nod to play against the Lakers on Saturday night.
Throughout the season, the Bucks have been cautious with Antetokounmpo's knee. He's a frequent name on the injury report, although he rarely misses time. Through 13 games this year, he has just two absences. The first occurred on October 30 against the Golden State Warriors. This week he saw his second.
This season, Antetokounmpo has appeared in 11 games for the Bucks. He is shooting 63 percent from the field, averaging 32.6 points. Beyond his scoring, Antetokounmpo has come down with 11.5 rebounds per game and produced 7.3 assists per matchup.
The Bucks are on the hunt for their ninth win on Saturday night. They are set for a tough matchup against a 9-4 Lakers team. The two contenders will tip at 8 PM ET.
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