The Bucks’ season continues to get worse with each passing game. On Monday, they suffered a gut-wrenching 116-114 defeat on the road against the Cavaliers, two days after losing at home against the same team by a point. Giannis Antetokounmpo played 39 minutes in the first of the Bucks’ two straight battles against the Cavaliers and finished 34 points, nine assists, and 16 rebounds, which wasn’t enough to help Milwaukee pull off a victory.
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He missed the second game with a right adductor strain, which paved the way for Damian Lillard to play as the first option on offense. The veteran guard had an outstanding game, scoring 36 points and dishing seven assists, but it wasn’t enough to help the Bucks stave off a sixth straight loss.
The Bucks desperately need a win to end their dismal losing streak and they seemingly won’t be able to do it without Antetokounmpo. However, the two-time MVP still hasn’t been given the green light to play in their next game against the Jazz on Thursday night. His status has been listed as questionable, but it’s not all doom and gloom for the Bucks.
The Athletic’s Eric Nehm reported that Antetokounmpo was present in practice on Wednesday and took part in a light session with his team. Head coach Doc Rivers revealed that the team did not have a full practice, which allowed the superstar to work with his teammates. He said,
“We didn’t really practice, we skeleton’d a lot stuff. We didn’t do anything live today.”
Antetokounmpo will undergo a fitness test on Thursday afternoon to determine whether he’s fit to suit up against the Jazz. The Bucks will likely hold him back if he isn’t fully healthy due to their upcoming schedule.
On Friday, they are scheduled to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden before they host reigning champions Celtics at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. The team will likely prioritize having Antetokounmpo available for those two games and back Lillard to lead the team to victory against Utah, who sit at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
The two-time MVP will argue and make his case to play on Friday against the Jazz and given the Bucks’ 1-6 record, the coaching staff could be tempted into fielding him. However, they’ll likely hold him back to ensure he’s fit to face the Knicks and Celtics.
