Bucks News: 2 Starters Land on Injury Report Ahead of Hornets Clash

Just as Milwaukee begins to turn its season around, the team has been bit by the injury bug.

Mar 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and center Brook Lopez (11) and guard Damian Lillard (0) on the court during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Just as the Milwaukee Bucks begin to turn their season around, the team has been bit by the injury bug.

According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, eight-time All-Star Bucks starting point guard Damian Lillard and three-time All-Star Milwaukee small forward Khris Middleton have already been ruled out for the club's matchup on Saturday against the similarly struggling Charlotte Hornets.

Across his 10 healthy games this season, Lillard is averaging 26.0 points on .444/.348/.909 shooting splits, 6.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds a night. But his defense has been an absolute eye-sore, and may have cost the club some close losses.

Lillard will miss his third straight game in the league's concussion protocols, while Middleton has yet to make his season debut as he continues to recuperate from bilateral ankle surgery this past offseason. Head coach Doc Rivers' preferred replacement for Lillard in his starting lineup, two-way player Ryan Rollins, remains shelved with a left shoulder instability. Presumably, this means Rollins' replacement, veteran combo guard Delon Wright, will remain the Bucks' starting point guard.

Sixth man power forward/center Bobby Portis Jr. is considered doubtful to suit up with a right elbow contusion. If he does sit out, he'll be missed for the second straight bout.

Two-time league MVP power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, has been listed as probable to play through his right patella tendinopathy. Swingman AJ Green is likewise expected to suit up, despite a left shoulder impingement.

Milwaukee is currently 4-8 on the year, but has won its last two games sans Lillard. The club has emphasized backcourt defense, using first Rollins and then Wright as key point-of-attack defenders along the perimeter. Even prior to Lillard's now-extended absence, Rivers has already made a change in his starting five, swapping second-year swingman Andre Jackson Jr. in for shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. Trent was never known for his defense, but his offense has fallen off a cliff this year, too. Perhaps a bench move will do him good in the long term. He's averaging a paltry 6.9 points on .310/.267/.929 shooting splits, 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists a night.

Charlotte, meanwhile, actually has a better record at 4-7, but seems locked into more of a rebuilding season. The Hornets will likely look to tank down the stretch of the season if their record is too sunny, and hopefully add more talented youth to a squad that already boasts All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball, 2023 No. 2 draft pick Brandon Miller, and talented-if-troubled forward Miles Bridges.

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