Giannis Antetokounmpo
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Knicks are a suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Heading into Tuesday, March 17, battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Milwaukee Bucks wondered about the status of their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
During their last time out, the Bucks saw Antetokounmpo leave the game briefly during the second half. After the game, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers guessed that Antetokounmpo was dealing with a hyperextension.
When the Bucks released their injury report ahead of the matchup, it was revealed that Antetokounmpo is dealing with an ankle sprain. Therefore, he was questionable leading up to the game.
Antetokounmpo was officially ruled out by the Bucks on Monday night. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Antetokounmpo is expected to be on a one-week timeline to recover from his setback.
Bucks Announce Starting Lineup vs Cavaliers
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 22: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics defends Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at TD Garden on November 22, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Bucks 119-116. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Bucks will start Kevin Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins, Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, and Jericho Sims.
Underdog NBA
Lineup alert: Bucks will start Porter Jr., Rollins, Prince, Kuzma, Sims on Tuesday.
On the other side, the Cavaliers are starting James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade, and Evan Mobley.
This season, the Bucks have struggled to take a step forward. After cutting ties with the injured star guard, Damian Lillard, many wondered if that signaled the beginning of the end of the Antetokounmpo era in Milwaukee.
All season long, the Bucks had to battle the trade rumors coming from the outside. Antetokounmpo also battled with numerous setbacks, which took him off the court for stretches for games on numerous occasions.
Now, the Bucks are entering their Tuesday night game with a 28-39 record. While the goal has been to get to the Play-In and shock the Eastern Conference, Giannis and his team are coming up way short.
Milwaukee is 5.5 games out of the Play-In. The Charlotte Hornets (34-34) are currently holding the 10th seed, which marks the final Play-In spot.
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Bucks on Tuesday night. The Cavaliers remain one of the most challenging competitors in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland holds a 41-27 record. While they’ve been a bit shaky lately, winning five out of their last 10, the Cavaliers are getting healthier as they adjust to some major changes made on the roster.
The Bucks and the Cavaliers are slated for an 8 PM ET tip.